I love to bake.  It almost seems like it was inevitable.  Both of my grandmother's were excellent bakers. My mom even has many blue ribbons from our local county fair that she won for her tasty baked goods.  Everything they baked was made from scratch, using sweet creamery butter, farm fresh eggs and ingredients that often came from their own farms or gardens. I can still smell the wonderful aroma of apple dumplings or cinnamon rolls or chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven when I would burst through the door after coming home from school.  It's a wonder I didn't weigh 500 pounds. 

As children...we spent our days outdoors, exploring the woods, playing with the neighborhood kids, always on the go and just having a grand time. Though we didn't need to be concerned about watching our weight in those days I can no longer just stuff as many cookies or homemade donuts (yummy), or mouth watering pie in my mouth as I once could when I was young (and I wish I still could).

My name is Cindy and for 17 years now I have worked for Berlin Natural Bakery.  Berlin Natural Bakery is the largest all spelt bakery in the United States.  Everything we bake is made using pure spelt flour (no regular wheat will be found in our bakery) and we use only the highest quality, all natural ingredients.

The recipes you find here will be based on using spelt flour or products from Berlin Natural Bakery.  Our desire is to help all who have contacted us with questions about baking with spelt. If you don't currently have spelt flour, don't despair...these recipes are easily adaptable.  For those of you unfamiliar with Berlin Natural Bakery or spelt flour, check out the website www.BerlinNaturalBakery.com.

It is my hope that this blog, and many more to be published, will convey to you that baking does not need to be difficult (even when using spelt flour) and that it can bring a whole lot of pleasure...both in the baking itself and in the joy of eating and sharing what you've created! Or, if you're like me and already love to bake, I hope to share some new and tasty recipes you'll enjoy baking.  As I share my love of baking with you, I hope you will share your life with me as well.  You may come as a stranger, but I want you to leave as a friend. 

Feel free to ask any questions, or share your suggestions and recipes.  It is a real privilege to get to know you. Now then...it's time to get started.  It seems only appropriate since this is my first blog that for our first recipe, we start with the first meal of the day as well...breakfast.  I'm one of those people who love breakfast.  This recipe comes from a friend, Christy from Zoar, Ohio which she developed using spelt flour, freshly stone ground at Berlin Natural Bakery. For the best pancakes or waffles, this recipe is hard to beat.

SPELT PANCAKES OR WAFFLES
Ingredients:
2 cups whole spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cup milk (substitute whole milk with rice milk or soy milk)
1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:
In a medium size mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon. 
In smaller bowl, beat eggs, add oil, milk and vanilla. 
Add contents of smaller bowl into dry ingredients.  
Stir gently till ingredients are blended together. 
Do not use mixer and do not over mix.
*Pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. 
Cook until the second side is golden brown or according to your personal preference. 
Serve with butter and real maple syrup.

(For Waffles: Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown).

Well friends, that's it for this time.  The next time we gather together, I am going to share another great breakfast recipe...French Toast.  You may be thinking, "that doesn't sound very exciting", but this is not just any French toast. My daughter Alison made this scrumptious French toast for my husband and me early one morning before she had to take us to the airport.  It was oh so good and made the start of our day all that much better. 

Since I hate finding a great recipe, only to have to make a trip to the store for ingredients before I can actually make it, I thought I would share the ingredients you'll need now so you'll be ready to go when I post the next blog. Most of the recipes are things you probably have in your kitchen already (vanilla, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt), but two of the ingredients you may not have.  My daughter used a loaf of French bread that she sliced into thick pieces, but when I made it, I used White Spelt Burger Buns from Berlin Natural Bakery. May sound crazy, but they worked perfectly.  The Berlin Natural Bakery Raisin Spelt Bread would work equally well for this recipe.  You will also need a can of sweetened condensed milk.  This gives a caramelized outer covering that is...well; I'll just say this...you're going to love it!

Until next time...Happy Baking!

You can find premier spelt products made from 100% genuine german spelt in our online store by clicking the icon below!