Blackberry Spelt Buns

Hey, how's everyone doing? The past few weeks for me were like... WOW! I expected some time to unwind, sleep in, cook, bake and get creative in- and outside of the kitchen, meet friends, catch up with relatives and just get some university applications done on the side...

 Instead it turned all upside down, and always out the other way round.. The german post strike w/ university applications almost not reaching their destination, re-organizing my room (and I always thought my sister doesn't even like my clothes.. wishful thinking!!), running more errands in a week than I thought were possible and of course seeing more trains from the inside than daylight hours outside. If I was lucky enough I only had to pack my backpack every few days and being at home four days a week felt like a win because it meant I was home the majority of the week. A lot of visits and university test travels later (plus a short sweet weekend in Milan :) ) I'm now ready for some serious relaxed sunny summer days. Two weeks on holiday until the whole "circus" will go back to business as usual :D.

But I won't leave you empty handed! The german heat and humidity was just perfect for some yeasted dough: spelt meets sun-kissed wild blackberries. It's basically just mix, quick knead, rise, heat, mix and cool down the blackberries, assemble, bake and enjoy - 2 hours in total yet just about 20 minutes hands on time max. The super sweet in season berries charm the wholesome soft spelt dough like a needed finishing touch. It tastes like an upgraded version of a blackberry jam sandwich yet with a lot more flavor and natural goodness packed inside. A sweet breakfast treat, mid-day or afternoon snack. So you can rock those summer days! Or act like a magic super hero and pull some out of your picnic box on your way to were ever these weeks may lead you.. Enjoy!

Blueberry Spelt Buns
makes six 
- 300g whole spelt flour plus more for dusting
- 2 tsp dried yeast
- 150 ml warm tap water
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 Tbsp nut butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 120g fresh or thawed blackberries
- 3 Tbsp coconut sugar, honey or other natural sweetener

1. Mix the yeast, water, 2 Tbsp honey, coconut oil and nut butter. Whisk until well combined. In a medium mix the flour, spices and salt then stir in the yeast mix. Knead for 5 minutes until a soft dough ball forms and cleans the bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 1-1.5 h or until doubled in size.


2. Preheat your oven. Lightly flour your working surface. Divide dough into six pieces. Roll each into a ball between your palms and press slightly to flatten. Put the formed buns onto a greased or parchment lined baking sheet.

3. Heat your blackberries in a small saucepan, stir in the coconut sugar. Keep it on low heat for three minutes. Using the back of a spoon press a small hollow into each bun. Spoon the blackberries into the hollows. Cover the sheet with cling film and let the buns rise for 20 minutes. Unwrap and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned and bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for five minutes before serving. They taste great with a dollop of natural (greek) yoghurt or some extra honey drizzled on top. Enjoy!