Emma Bridgewater’s Spelt Loaf recipe

Emma Bridgewater’s Spelt Loaf recipeEmma Bridgewater is a British ceramics manufacturer most noted for her polka-dot designs. Her company is one of the UK’s largest pottery manufacturers.

She is showing her support for The Great Sport Relief Bake Off by designing an apron (available from HomeSense and TK Maxx stores) and she has also shared her Spelt Loaf recipe. But does she ever get time to put on an apron and bake?

'Oh yes, often,' she says. 'Matt and I share the cooking at home about half and half. I love making supper on a Friday night- which is likely to be meatballs. 

'I think my favourite thing is making bread. I don't do it seriously; if I did I'd be size 18 as homemade bread toasted is irresistible to me!'

Here's her Spelt Loaf recipe for you to try at home...

  • 1.5kg spelt flour (white or whole grain, the choice is yours) 900ml water, blood heat.
  • 3 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 sachets of quick yeast (follow the instructions on the packet)

Method

Pour the bag of flour into a very large, warm bowl.

Stir in the salt and the yeast

Pour in the water.

Using your right hand only, stir and amalgamate the flour mixture with the water.

Persevere though it may get messy- the dough will soon come together.

Work the dough into a ball, then knead for a few minutes, still using only your right hand. I turn the bowl anti clockwise with my left hand as I do this.

Cover with a clean tea towel and leave on the side in the kitchen to double in size. This should take 3-4 hours, but timing is relaxed.

Knead again for a few minutes, knocking the dough back to its original mass.

Divide into three and put the dough into 3 greased 2kg loaf tins.

Leave on the side until it has doubled in size again.

Preheat the oven to gas 5.

Bake the loaves for 35 mins. Then remove from tins and return to the oven for 10 minutes. They are done when then sound hollow when you tap them.

Emma Bridgewater has created two limited edition aprons for Sport Relief 2014. One of the designs will be presented each night to the winner of ‘The Great Sport Relief Bake Off’ and both designs are available to buy exclusively from Sport Relief official partners, brands-for-less homeware retailer HomeSense, TK Maxx stores, TKmaxx.com and sportrelief.com throughout the UK.