No-knead Spelt Bread with Cocoa and Molasses
A simple but delicious no-knead spelt bread loaf. The addition of cocoa and molasses give additional depth, flavour and colour. You can use the super easy manual bread maker as detailed below, or just bake it in an ordinary tin.
AD – this post contains affiliate links. See my cookie and privacy statement for further details.
Bread is such a fascinating bake. There is so much variety in taste and texture to be had. Thankfully there has been a revival of interest in real bread in recent years, spearheaded in Britain by the Real Bread Campaign.
New techniques and methods are being invented or rediscovered all the time it seems. I’ve been making my own bread since I was a teenager – on and off. But it wasn’t until I attended a bread making course with Andrew Whitley a few years ago that I discovered, when it comes to water, more is definitely best. Wet doughs may be harder to knead, but generally give a much better result.
I’ve been hearing about no knead breads for a while now. My own rye sourdough requires no kneading, but could this really work for wheat breads I wondered? I really kneaded (get it) to try it out for myself. Thanks to the unexpected delivery of a Lékué bread maker, I finally managed it.
Lékué Bread Maker
Lékué is a manufacturer of BPA-free silicone cook and bakeware from Spain. I was lucky enough to receive a bundle of their products to try out recently – you will, no doubt, see them popping up in subsequent posts. Their products are innovative, well thought out and of high quality. Certainly the three I’ve tried so far have worked well.
The Lékué bread maker* is a strange looking piece of kit and I was a little sceptical when I first took a look. Now I’ve used it, I’m completely won over. It’s basically a silicone bowl which doubles as a prover and baking tin, thus requiring little in the way of clearing and washing up. You can even knead the bread in the bowl and avoid having to oil or flour a work surface.
The bread maker comes with a few recipes, one of which is for a no-knead bread. It was time to try this new-fangled bake for myself.
No-Knead Cocoa Spelt Bread Loaf
It goes without saying that I adapted the recipe quite substantially. I used a mix of half wholemeal spelt and half strong white flour and added a teaspoon of my rye sourdough starter. Just for luck. Don’t worry, you don’t actually need that bit.
However, I also also added some cocoa and molasses, which I thought would give a nice rich dark loaf. And it did.
You don’t need a Lékué bread maker to make and bake this no-knead spelt cocoa bread. Just use a bowl and a 450g (1 lb) loaf tin instead. But it does cut down on washing and cleaning. Everything can be done in the one silicone bowl. Once you’ve mixed the ingredients together, just close the bread maker using its nifty catch, then cover with a cloth to prove.
Proving time will vary according to how active your yeast is and the warmth of your room. It’s better, both for flavour and digestion if the bread takes longer to rise. I left my no-knead spelt cocoa bread in a fairly cool room and it took four hours.
A Bread Recipe to Keep
This no-knead spelt bread is such a simple loaf to make. It has a great texture and is so very tasty. I can see this becoming a regular on our table when we need something a little different to rye sourdough.
The cocoa gives a depth of flavour without the bread tasting particularly chocolatey, which is just what I’d hoped for. The molasses adds additional complexity and a little sweetness.
I found I didn’t need to bake the bread for as long as the recipe stated, nor did I need to take it out of the bread maker and bake it upside down for the last 10 minutes. The recipe also warned that the dough should prove for at least six hours, but you’d need quite a cool room for that length of time.
We started eating the bread the day it was made, although the recipe stated to keep it for 24 hours before using. It did a grand job of mopping up our supper of shakshuka. As I’d hoped, it complemented this dish brilliantly. As I’ve made a chocolate version of shakshuka in the past, I sort of thought it might.
Over the next couple of days, we ate it as toast. It sliced well making few crumbs and was particularly delicious with poached eggs and then later with cream cheese and marmite.
Bread Maker Extraordinaire
The bread maker is extraordinary, I’m really quite excited by it. No mess, no fuss, it’s a one bowl wonder. Washing up is minimal. If I had some digital scales, I wouldn’t even have needed to get those dirty.
Admittedly, I made a no-knead loaf, so I’m unable to report on how easy it is to knead in the bowl. But, quite frankly, why knead when there is no need? It’s hard to believe that bread could get much better than this no-knead spelt bread.
Other Recipes Made with Lékué Products
- Chocolate orange marble cake
- Coconut & ginger cake pops dipped in chocolate
- Mini chocolate Valentine’s cakes
- Oven baked waffles with maple chocolate sauce
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this recipe for my no-knead spelt cocoa bread, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate it. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
For more delicious and nutritious recipes follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard or Pinterest. And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Or why not join the conversation in our Healthy Vegetarian Whole Food Recipes Facebook Group?
If you’d like to see more bread recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious, of course.
Choclette x
No-Knead Spelt Bread. PIN IT.
No-knead Spelt Bread – The Recipe
No-Knead Spelt Bread with Cocoa and Molasses
Ingredients
- 200 g wholemeal spelt flour
- 200 g strong bread flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp dried active yeast
- 360 ml lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Weigh the flours and pour them into a large bowl or the Lékué bread maker, if using.
- Add the cocoa, salt and dried yeast.
- Make a well in the centre and add the water, molasses and olive oil.
- Stir everything together until well mixed.
- Scrape into a well greased or lined 450g (1 lb) loaf tin and cover with a cloth. Or, close the bread maker using its nifty catch, then cover with a cloth. Leave to double in size.
- Bake at 220℃ (425℉, Gas 7) for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 200℃ (400℉, Gas 6) and bake for a further 25 minutes.
- Turn the loaf out of the tin or bread maker onto a wire rack and tap the bottom to test if it’s done. It should sound hollow. If not, return it to the oven for a further five to ten minutes.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Thanks to Lékué for the bread maker. There was no requirement to write a positive review and as always all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links which are marked with an asterisk*. If you buy through a link, it will not cost you any more, but I will get a small commission. Thank you for your support of the brands and organisations that help to keep Tin and Thyme blithe and blogging.
Interesting gadget and it’s always great to solve problems and improve process.
Last year I made quite a bit of no knead bread but have since gone back to traditional. I can see that the Lekue is ideal for no knead bread.
What I did was cook the no knead bread in a dutch oven – sort of like what the Lekue is – but obviously had to transfer the dough from place to another so it lost air and baked unsatisfactorily flat.
The exercise was not wasted however and now I use my cast iron casserole for traditionally made bread, cakes, all sorts. I find that crusts are softer and never tooth breaking hard and they don’t burn or become heat patchy but have an all over `tan’ you might say.
I am guessing the dough in the enclosed casserole space generates its own moisture, would you say that would be some of the reason?
I’ve never actually baked in a cast iron casserole as I don’t have one. But I know many people do. My understanding is that yes, it acts as a mini steam oven. Moisture from the bread / cake evaporates, but isn’t burnt off, as it would be in a conventional oven. The exciting thing about baking and cooking is that it doesn’t matter how much experience you have, there’s always something new to try.
Yes that is so true that the next new thing is just around the corner no matter how much experience has been gained – can’t wait to try out this recipe and the many others on your site – thank you so very much.
Thank you NJ.
I am intrigued by this breadmaker as have read several good reviews now. Love the idea of cocoa bread, especially when made with spelt.
This sounds like a very interesting kitchen gadget! You bread looks and sounds wonderful (and so easy!). I love the idea of cocoa in bread. I really must try it one day and this seems like the perfect recipe for it.
very nice Choclette, I have got some stuff from Lekue too, including the bread basket/cooking basket and I do love your cocoa bread here. the bundt cakes you made using their mould have looked fab too!
Interesting. Never tried spelt with cocoa.
What an interesting concept. It certainly seems to have worked well, the bread looks lovely.
I like the sound of the breadmaker, as well as your no knead cocoa bread. I’m a big fan of baking bread, something very relaxing about it.
Oh chocolate bread, mmmmmmm! I must go look at their products, they sound interesting. I have to get back to baking bread again. There is nothing like it!
What a great and easy loaf! I’m all for no knead loaves. Great looking bit of kit too, I’ve also been sent loads of Lekue products to try too, and need to get myself busy with them soon 🙂
Looks fantastic! I recently baked my first no knead bread with grated cheddar cheese and it turned out so good that I’ll be definetely making more soon!
You know, I’ve never had cocoa bread before…what a clever idea (again) xx
What a brilliant shape it comes out, like a bullet! I’ve got the same mould but not used it yet, can’t wait to try it out.
Nice – Would love to see this submitted at FoodFotoGallery.com so I can share with all my foodie friends 🙂
What a cool looking bit of kit! ?
Janie x
WOW! That looks amazing and I am fascinated by your mould too! Bet that bread will make a FAB bread and butter pudding if you have any left that is!
it looks lovely. we also use a no knead method and are so happy with it – your choc spelt loaf sounds like a lovely combination – shall have to try this out x
your loaf looks gorgeous!… i’m so glad you’ve discovered this method, it is my ‘go-to’ loaf every time now as it’s just so simple and is pretty much faultless… you will never look back!
Cocoa bread – how lovely for you. Here’s a recipe for you to try – cocoa eggy bread. When it’s gone a little stale (if there is any loaf left) dip into an egg and cocoa mixture and fry up 🙂 Our favourite. Loving the look of the handy bread maker, too.
That sounds amazing Ren, going to jot down in the memory banks for my kids (and me!).
Haven’t made eggy bread for years Ren, but will most certainly have to try it now.
oh I love that bread maker thingy – what a clever idea!!!