Kamut Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe
Kamut or Khorasan wheat is an ancient wheat with a light nutty flavor and beautiful golden color. This sourdough Kamut sandwich bread is soft and delicious! It’s easy to make and will fast become one of your favorite loaves.
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For years now, I have been using ancient wheat in my baking. My 2 favorite are Spelt and Kamut. These types of wheat are more flavorful than conventional wheat and have greater health benefits.
Modern wheat has been altered to grow shorter and produce more seeds on each head of the stalk whereas ancient wheat hasn’t been altered and has a different gluten structure that can be easier to digest for some.
While I prefer to freshly mill my Kamut, you can make this loaf with All-Purpose Kamut as well. This is the grain mill I have used for years and use almost daily in my kitchen: https://collabs.shop/rxide2
Why Sourdough?
Sourdough is a process of fermenting your bread dough with a sourdough starter. This process breaks down the gluten and proteins that can sometimes be hard to digest for gluten sensitive people. In order to get the most benefits of the fermentation process, you need to let your dough ferment for at least 12-24 hours.
As you can see, the process of sourdough can be very helpful for many people. If you’ve never made a sourdough starter https://therosehomestead.com/how-to-make-a-sourdough-starter/ it’s easy and fairly quick to do. The great news is that once you have an active starter, as long as you maintain it, it will last for as long as you want it. There are starters that have been handed down through generations!
When using freshly milled flour in your sourdough bread baking, it’s important to take a few simple steps to ensure success.
- Soak the flour. This process is extremely important. Soaking the freshly milled flour in the water called for softens the bran and germ and leads to a better gluten development and a taller rise.
- Kneading. It’s also important to knead the dough long enough to build up the gluten structure. This can take 8-10 minutes depending on the mixer you are using or if you are kneading by hand.
- Fermentation time. With freshly milled flour and ancient wheat, the fermentation time tends to go faster. It’s important to keep an eye on the dough throughout the process to make sure it doesn’t over proof.
For this Kamut bread recipe, you will need:
- Kamut flour: You can use freshly milled Kamut flour or Kamut all purpose flour.
- Sourdough starter: Use active sourdough starter that is bubbly and has been fed within the last 24 hours.
- Water: For best results, use filtered water.
- Salt
- Honey (optional)
- Olive oil
- Sunflower lecithin (optional). May also use an egg
Why I love Kamut
I think it is important to note that while white flour or bread flour make a light and fluffy loaf, there is much to be said about the added nutritional value of using Kamut Wheat in the form of whole grain flour.
Freshly milled Khorasan flour is even more nutritious than store bought conventional whole wheat flour.
I’ve been using whole grain Kamut flour for a very long time and count it as one of the most flavorful and easiest to work with ancient wheat varieties.
Step by step instructions for making this Kamut Sourdough Sandwich Bread
When making my bread recipes, I use a stand mixer. This is the one I use and have loved for a long time: https://collabs.shop/xmipvy
It effectively kneads the dough, even if it is a heavy dough made with freshly milled flour.
In the bowl of my mixing bowl, I add the water and the flour.
Alternatively, you can mix this in a large bowl with a wooden spoon and knead by hand for 8-10 minutes.
In the winter, I use warm water that is under 100 degrees F. This jump starts the fermentation process.
**NOTE: Add enough flour at this stage to make a soft dough that cleans the side of the bowl**
I cover the bowl and the dough rest and soak for 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes, I add the starter, oil, honey, and salt.
On speed 2, I knead the dough for 8-10 minutes or until it is soft and stretchy.
I remove the dough and place on a work surface.
I press the dough out into a rectangle shape and roll it back up into a log.
Place the dough log seam side down in a greased loaf pan. This is the one I use: https://amzn.to/3JHF25u
You can also place a piece of parchment paper in the loaf pan to prevent sticking.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it tops over the rim of the pan. The amount of time it takes for this rise varies based on the temperature and humidity of your home. Generally, it will take 4-8 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
If you want, you can slice the top of the loaf down the center for a beautiful design that really pops after baking.
Bake the loaf for 35 minutes until golden brown or until the internal temperature is 195-205 degrees F.
Place on a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
Storage suggestions for this Kamut sourdough sandwich bread
Store cooled and sliced loaves in a bread bag at room temperature on the counter for up to 5 days.
Place sliced and cooled loaf in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Sourdough Kamut Sandwich Bread
Light, nutty, and incredibly delicious, this sourdough kamut sandwich loaf is a must try in your kitchen!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 4 cups Kamut flour
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup honey (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the water and the flour.
- Cover and allow to soak for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, add remaining ingredients and knead on speed 2 for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is soft and stretchy.
- Prepare a loaf pan by greasing it lightly.
- Place the dough on a work surface and press it out with your hands to a rectangle shape.
- Roll the dough back up into a log shape and place in pan.
- Cover, and allow to rise for 4-8 hours or until the dough tops over the edges of the pan.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until internal temperature is 195-205 degrees F.
- Place on cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
Hi Mary, I’m trying your recipe tonight. You didn’t say if you could put this in the fridge overnight, but I’m gonna try it hopefully it Won’t over proof.
Well after waiting 12 hours to rise i’m questioning everything about this recipe.
Water to kamut ratio seemed way too dry. I did let mine sit for 30 minutes…i used already milled flour as i don’t grind my own. used very strong healthy starter yet 12 hours to rise on heating pad set at 80 and it’s still not really done
In oven now and hope i just didn’t waste the product. it’s very expensive
I’m sorry to hear that. I haven’t had any issues with the recipe while testing. Are you using all purpose Kamut? I always recommend adding the last bit of flour slowly because all kitchens are different when it comes to humidity.
You are correct about all kitchens being different. Living in Calgary, Alberta I find I have to pay attention to what the dough is doing versus following the directions exactly. For example, we are above 3000 feet elevation and dry humidity. Therefore, my sour dough does the BEST rise/fermentation in my oven with the light on with a pie plate of hot water on the bottom rack for humidity.
How can we add the remaining flour slowly when the recipe tells us to put all the water and the flour into the bowl and soak for 30 minutes? I did this, and there is no where near enough water to get the flour all in moisture. I’m going to let this sit for the 30 minutes and hope that when I added the remaining ingredients, I will get a working dough. I am using fresh milled, which scooping out should equal less store bought as it is full of air…….
What I do is add flour until it becomes a soft dough and then let it sit for 30 minutes. That way it already has the right amount of flour before kneading. I am so sorry this wasn’t clear. I will look at this post and add a note on this.
Can you use butter instead of the olive oil?