Spelt?

Since I first found out that Shelf Reliance added Spelt to their Thrive food line I wanted to play with it. I know it's not a new grain, it's just new to me.  Since my first love is chocolate I often wonder what to pair it with that's new. In my world most things are good with chocolate!

I found an interesting recipe I had to try to see if it tasted as good as it sounded to me.  Not Only Pizza makes it a bit fancier than I do so try either one you like.

If you didn't already know Spelt is similar to wheat in appearance, but it has a tougher husk than wheat. Spelt flour has a somewhat nuttier and slightly sweeter flavor than whole-wheat flour. It also contains more protein than wheat, and contains gluten, so spelt is not suitable for a gluten-free diet.

Spelt Cookies

1 cup      Thrive corn meal
1 1/2 cups Thrive spelt, ground into flour
3/4 cup    Thrive Butter Powder, re-hydrated
2 Tbsp.    Thrive brown sugar, packed
1 tsp.     Vanilla extract
           Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp.   Thrive salt
1/2 tsp.   Thrive baking powder
3          Egg yolks
1/3 cup    Pine nuts
5-7 oz.    Chocolate, bitter sweet

Makes: 35 cookies 2 1/2" cookies

Melt butter and set aside.  Blend together the cornmeal, flour, and the sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour,pour the butter, the 3 egg yolks and the salt. Combine well with a fork. Stir in the pine nuts & the lemon zest.

Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. In the meantime heat the oven to 350°.

Roll out the dough to 1/4" thick. Cut using a 2 1/2" cookie cutter. I always use parchment paper on my baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes and let them cool at least for 5 minutes.

Melt chocolate on medium heat in a double boiler, or GENTLY in the microwave.  Meaning do 30 seconds, stir well, then 30 seconds,stir well. Repeat until melted.  Stiring is necessary as the residue heat melts the chocolate and if you over heat it will actually burn the chocolate and change the flavor.

Spread melted chocolate on the top of each cookie, place them on a wire rack and let them cool and the chocolate hardens.

I hope you enjoy a new way to get grains into you and your family.

The more we can save money, feed our families nutritious food, prepare ourselves and our friends and neighbors the better off we ALL are.