Seasonal plums cooked in batter and topped with demerara sugar heated under the grill to give a crispy, crunchy lid. This dessert is simple, opulent and as romantic as the French name implies. Perfect make-ahead dessert for guests.

Spelt Plum Clafoutis – Dairy Free

Gavin Wren Baking, Dairy free baking, Recipes, Spelt & ancient grains

I can’t write at the moment due to a heavy duty psychological blockage that I need to clear, even though my life is utterly fantastic currently. Perhaps that’s the problem, that it’s harder to accept praise than it is to be negative. Anyway, I’m going to let the pictures do the talking for this dairy free spelt plum clafoutis, but I will say one thing – it’s fucking delicious.

Take care

Gavin
x…come and read more…

I've always wondered if I need to knead spelt dough, because it never seemed to make much difference. So I've done a side by side bake test to see if you really need to knead!

Spelt Buns – Do I Need to Knead Spelt?

Gavin Wren Baking, Food Techniques, Recipes, Spelt & ancient grains

Throughout my blog, I’ve declared that there’s no need to knead spelt dough.

This pearl of wisdom originated several years ago from a source that I’ve entirely forgotten, yet, as I create more spelt recipes for my blog, I’ve begun to question it.

It’s all about the gluten

Roger Saul, in his Sharpham Park ‘Spelt’ book, says to knead spelt dough for 10 minutes in every recipe. I was surprised to read this, it seems excessive, however, I also realise that he grows the stuff and sells it in supermarkets, so I was interested to see what benefit this really has.

All varieties of wheat (including spelt) contain two proteins, gliaden and glutenin, which if combined with water and kneaded, create a complex protein known as gluten. Gluten is what gives dough it’s elasticity and stretchability, resulting…come and read more…

Soft and tender spelt blackberry and apple muffins, a recipe created from seasonal fruit picked directly from the plant, a dairy-free recipe using delicious spelt flour and the perfect natural pairing of blackberries and apples.

Spelt Blackberry and Apple Muffins

Gavin Wren Baking, Dairy free baking, Recipes, Spelt & ancient grains

This post is a recipe for soft and tender spelt blackberry and apple muffins, created from seasonal fruit picked directly from the plant, a dairy-free recipe using delicious spelt flour and the perfect natural pairing of blackberries and apples.

As September started, I had recently returned from a week of singing, yoga and relaxation at a camp near Glastonbury. My sleeping bag and tent were purposefully residing in the hallway, causing a very minor detour to the loo and at worst, an awkward trip hazard. Their placement wasn’t due to tardiness on my part, the sleeping bag had already been crammed back into it’s right-sized gap in the spare wardrobe, then removed again.

A peculiar feeling had risen up inside me, calling me back to the tent, despite an openly professed hatred of camping. At first, a presently underwhelming feeling suggested that I grab this bundle of synthetic…come and read more…

Using the spelt sweet shortcrust pastry (pâte sucrée) which I posted previously, filled with a beautiful, lusciously thick lemon curd, it makes a beautiful spelt tarte au citron with crisp, sharp flavours and that soft, crumbly, sweet spelt crust. It's a beauty of a patisserie recipe perfect for afternoon tea or a post-prandial dessert.

Spelt Tarte au Citron

Gavin Wren Baking, Desserts, Recipes, Spelt & ancient grains

It’s been a confusing week. But today’s recipe is a gem. Using the spelt sweet shortcrust pastry (pâte sucrée) which I posted previously, filled with a beautiful, lusciously thick lemon curd, it makes a beautiful spelt tart au citron with crisp, sharp flavours and that soft, crumbly, sweet spelt crust. It’s a beauty of a patisserie recipe perfect for afternoon tea or a post-prandial dessert.

The Human Experience

I’ve experienced the full breadth of human emotion from happiness to sadness, fear to anger. Monday began with buoyancy, entering a week full of possibilities. Freelance work to arrange, personal photoshoot to organise, job application to complete, review and submit, exhibition display to create, personal artwork project to finish, blog posts to write on top of having made evening arrangements every night from Monday…come and read more…

Today's recipe is spelt sweet shortcrust pastry, otherwise known as pâte sucrée, a staple ingredient for your culinary knowledge banks, a sweet base which can turn it's hand to many creations in the kitchen.

Spelt Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (Pâte sucrée)

Gavin Wren Baking, Basic Ingredients, Recipes, Spelt & ancient grains

Today’s recipe is spelt sweet shortcrust pastry, otherwise known as pâte sucrée, a staple ingredient for your culinary knowledge banks, a sweet base which can turn it’s hand to many creations in the kitchen. Both sweet shortcrust pastry and it’s savoury sister are the foundations of some of the loveliest sweet and savoury baked creations. Just consider where we’d be without tarts, pies and quiches? Anarchy, that’s where.

The pastry in this recipe makes a stunningly tender, soft and sweet crust. It’s delicate when cooked, with a beautiful buttery warmth which crumbles into submission when eaten.

I’m keeping the words in this post short because the recipe below is LOADED with pictures to help you find your way through this simple yet essential recipe. If you’ve found this page, you’re probably here for one thing – amazing pastry! Enjoy!…come and read more…