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Baking recipe · from the recipe book

Soft Garlic Oat Spelt Braid

A tender, golden braided loaf with nutty spelt, chewy toasted oats throughout and mellow garlic butter brushed on a soft crust.

Soft Garlic Oat Spelt Braid

Ingredients

  • 13½ oz380 gWhole spelt flour
  • 1 cup120 gBread flour
  • 1 cup90 gOld-fashioned rolled oatsdivided: 75 g for the dough, 15 g for the topping
  • 1¼ cups (300 ml)300 gWhole milkwarmed to about 100°F (38°C)
  • 2½ tbsp40 gWaterlukewarm
  • 1 large50 gEggsdivided: 35 g for the dough, 15 g for the wash
  • 3 tbsp45 gUnsalted butterdivided: 30 g softened for the dough, 15 g melted for brushing
  • 1½ tbsp30 gHoney
  • 6 cloves18 gGarlicfinely minced, divided: two thirds for the dough, one third for brushing
  • 1½ tsp9 gSalt
  • 1½ tsp6 gInstant yeast

Steps

  1. Prepare first: warm the milk, soften the butter for the dough and melt the rest, mince the garlic, and beat the egg in a small cup.
  2. Toast all the oats in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden, then cool. Set aside the topping portion of oats.
  3. Stir the dough portion of the toasted oats into the warm milk and the lukewarm water and let them soak 10 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk the spelt flour, bread flour, instant yeast and salt.
  5. Add the soaked oat mixture, the honey, the dough portion of the beaten egg (about two thirds), the softened dough portion of the butter and two thirds of the garlic. Mix into a shaggy dough.
  6. Knead 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky; spelt is delicate, so stop once it holds together and stretches. This is about 72% hydration counting the milk and water, and 1.8% salt.
  7. Cover and let rise at about 75°F (24°C) for 60 to 75 minutes, until doubled in size.
  8. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each into a 16-inch rope. Pinch the tops together, braid loosely, pinch the ends and tuck them under. Set on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  9. Cover and proof at about 75°F (24°C) for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy and the dough springs back slowly when poked. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  10. Brush the braid with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with the reserved toasted oats.
  11. Bake 28 to 32 minutes until deep golden and 190°F (88°C) in the center; tent with foil after 20 minutes if browning fast.
  12. Stir the remaining garlic into the melted butter and brush it over the hot loaf for a soft crust.
  13. Cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes before cutting into 12 slices.

Food safety: Don't taste raw dough or batter: raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs.

Contains: Milk, Egg, Gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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