Spelt & Rye Swirled Bloomer Loaf Recipe
A special recipe to mark both World Baking Day and British Sandwich Week, made for us by our in-house Pro Baker – Sophie Carey! Make glorious swirled loaves with our delicious Spelt/Rye and Canadian Strong White flours. Happy baking!
- Baker: Sophie Carey
- Makes: 2 Large Bloomer Loaves
- Prep time: 40 Minutes (plus proving)
- Bake time: 45-50 Minutes
- Flours used: Matthews Cotswold Spelt & Rye Blend (or separate White Spelt & Dark Rye) plus Canadian Strong White Flour
Spelt & Rye Swirled Bloomer Loaf Method:
- First up is making the spelt and rye dough! I like to make this one first to give it a little head start over the white as it can sometimes take longer to rise. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add all the ingredients for the spelt and rye dough.
- Set the mixer on a slow speed for 3 minutes, then turn up the speed to a medium level and let the mixer run again for 7 minutes. By this time the dough should be smooth and elastic, and it should be leaving the bowl clean.
- Tip the dough out onto a clean counter and knead it gently into a ball shape, then place into a large mixing bowl and cover. Leave this to rise for 1 hour and 15 minutes (or until doubled in size).
- To make the white dough, repeat the same process. Get your ingredients in the mixer fitted with the same dough hook and mix on a slow speed for 3 minutes to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Turn the mixer up and let it run on a medium speed for 7 minutes.
- Get this dough into another bowl, cover it, and leave it to rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
- Once both doughs have doubled in size, turn them out of the bowl onto a clean counter and knock the air out of them. Divide them roughly into two and shape them into balls. Leave for 10 minutes under a tea towel to relax.
- To shape the loaves, first flatten one of the white dough portions into a rectangle. Do the same with the spelt and rye dough, and place it directly on top. Fold the outer edges in by about 1 inch, and then start rolling the doughs up from the top (like you would a Swiss roll). Create some tension on the outside edges using your hands to tuck the messy edges away.
- Repeat this with the other loaf, then pop them both on a tray or board on some baking paper. Leave one on the counter to prove for 1 hour, and place the other in the fridge - this prevents it from overproving while you bake the first one.
- Get a Dutch oven into the oven to preheat to 220 degrees Celsius - or you could use a baking tray and add some ice to the oven to create steam. Once hot, take a sharp knife and make 7 confident cuts at an angle across the top of your loaf. Use the baking paper to lift the loaf into the hot Dutch oven.
- Bake with the lid on for 25 minutes, then with the lid removed for a further 20 minutes. Remove from the Dutch oven and cool on a wire rack.
- To bake the second loaf, get the Dutch oven back in the oven to heat up again and let the loaf come up to room temperature on the counter - give it at least 50 minutes of proving time. Repeat the slashes and baking instructions of the first loaf.
