Quality of spelt

The Spelt varieties are very different regarding their bread making quality, thus a careful information and choice is recommended. Generally, Spelt tends to have a higher protein content than bread wheat, but the protein quality is lower compared with high quality bread wheat. Nevertheless, this specifique quality was the basis of specialty products like the famous ‘Dinkelseelen’. However, for classical bread, adaptation in baking technology are required in order to deliver high quality end products with high percentage of spelt. Reduced dough temperature, reduced energy put into the dough, use of ascorbic acid or other supplements help largely to improve the stability of the dough and the loaf volume. Furthermore, water uptake of the dough is limited as compared to bread wheat. If spelt bread should not get rapid dry, the use of soakers to improve water uptake is highly recommended. The low protein quality is due to another composition of the protein. Compared to high quality bread wheat, the amount of gliadin is higher and important glutenin bands are lacking in spelt. Nevertheless, the wide variation in baking quality among existing Spelt varieties warrants improvements via plant breeding. More help offer the baking schools:  Bäckerfachschule Stuttgart, Akademie des deutschen Bäckerhandwerks in Weinheim or the Richemont Kompetenzzentrum Luzern. Interestingly, spelt varieties differ also in their potential to deliver aromatic breads and this is independent from baking quality and agronomy. More information here.