How long does Spelt Hearth Loaf take to bake?

Bulk ferment 3.00h at 76°F, proof 6.00h, bake 38 minutes at 450°F in a dutch oven.

Germany/Switzerland · hearth

Spelt Hearth Loaf

Name: Spelt Hearth Loaf
Prep time: 180 min
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 578 min
Yield: 1 loaf (12 servings)
Cuisine: Germany/Switzerland
Ingredients: 400g spelt; 100g bread flour; 350g water (70% hydration); 10g salt (2.00%); 75-100g levain (15-20%)

Target 70% hydration · dutch oven · bake at 450°F

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Spelt hearth loaf with 20% bread flour for structural support. 100% spelt is possible but fragile; 80/20 blend gives the nutty spelt flavor with reliable oven spring. Lower hydration (70%) than bread-flour-based doughs because spelt absorbs less water. Shorter fermentation to prevent gluten over-degradation.

Hydration: 70%
Salt: 2.00%
Levain: 15–20%
Bulk @ 76°F: 3.00h
Proof @ 76°F: 6.00h
Bake temp: 450°F
Bake time: 38m
Vessel: dutch oven

Flour mix

spelt — 80%
bread flour — 20%

Technique

Short autolyse (20 min). 2-3 GENTLE stretch-and-folds (spelt gluten tears easily). 3h bulk. Shape carefully, floured banneton, 6h cold retard. Bake in dutch oven 450°F: 20 min lid on, 18 min off.

Calculator pre-set to Spelt Hearth Loaf's target (70%)

Adjust the slider for personal preference within the workable 65–75% range.

Total flour(g)

Target hydration(%)

Salt(%)

Levain of flour(%)

Levain hydration(%)

Flour to add: 450 g
Water to add: 300 g
Salt: 10 g
Levain @ 100%: 100 g
Total dough: 860 g
Effective hydration: 70%

How the math works

Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.

Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.

Open 70% hydration guide →

70% hydration reference page — crumb structure, technique notes, other recipes at this hydration
Flour spec: spelt — protein, ash, absorption — 80% of this recipe's mix
Flour spec: bread flour — protein, ash, absorption — 20% of this recipe's mix
Hydration deep-dive for this recipe — workable range 65–75%
Timing by kitchen temperature — bulk + proof times at 60-90°F using Modernist Bread multipliers
Guide: baker's percentage explained — the math underlying every formula on this page
All 25 recipes — grouped by category (lean, enriched, hearth, pan)

The gear that makes the math work

A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.

Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)
Baker's percentage is by weight, not volume — a 0.1 g scale is what makes the math on this page accurate.
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Dutch oven / combo cooker
Traps steam for the first bake phase — the single biggest factor in oven spring and a blistered, glossy crust.
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Banneton proofing basket
Wicks moisture and holds shape during the final proof, so high-hydration dough doesn't spread flat.
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Bread lame + bench scraper
A sharp lame scores clean ears; a steel bench scraper handles wet, sticky dough without tearing the gluten.
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High-protein bread flour
The math assumes ~12–14% protein. Real bread flour absorbs the hydration you calculate — all-purpose won't.
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Danish dough whisk
Mixes shaggy, high-hydration dough in seconds without the gluey mess of a spoon or your hands.
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🎧 Or learn the craft by ear

The numbers here are the what; a good baking book is the why. An Audible trial gets you any title free — Michael Pollan’s Cooked(the “Air” chapter is the best story ever told about why bread rises) is a perfect first listen.

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Gear guides — what actually matters

Flour mix

Technique

Calculator pre-set to Spelt Hearth Loaf's target (70%)

Related references on this site

The gear that makes the math work