In a large mixing bowl combine the all purpose flour, spelt flour, yeast and salt until well mixed.
2.75 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole spelt flour, 2 tsp sea salt, 2 tsp instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
Add the water and vinegar and using a spatula mix until a dough ball forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (wax wrap) and a tea towel and set aside in a draft free area to rise for 3 hours. (My inside home temperature was aproximately 75”F)
1.5 cups warm water, 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Check the dough after 3 hours. With a floured hand start stretching and folding the dough onto itself by reaching down the side of the bowl and pulling the dough from below towards the center (careful not to tear the gluten strands if possible. Watch the video tutorial for the method). Go around the bowl a couple of times stretching and folding the dough onto itself.
Cover the bowl and set aside to rise for another 3 hours.
Prepare a very well floured surface, like a large baking sheet, wooden board, marble or kitchen counter.
After the second rise sprinkle a little flour along the sides of the bowl, tilt the bowl on its side and carefully guide the dough out onto the prepared floured surface trying not to break the gluten strands. Use your floured hand to help guide the dough out of the bowl. It might look a little like a shaggy blob but don’t worry it’s fine! (watch video tutorial!).
Pre-Shaping - With well floured hands stretch and fold the dough onto itself again from bottom to top to form into a round loaf, taking good care not to overstretch and break the gluten strands. Do Not Knead, just pull the dough from the sides onto itself (Watch video tutorial for this technique). Sprinkle a little more flour around and on top if needed.
Flip the formed loaf so that that the top seam ends up on the bottom and the top is now smooth. You can use a dough scraper to help with this action and the reshaping of the loaf. Allow to loaf to rest while the oven is heating up (this will give the gluten time to bounce back from the handling).
Meanwhile preheat your oven to 500”F with a pizza stone on the bottom third rack or closer to the middle. Give it a good 30 to 45 minutes to get extra hot. (Make sure that your pizza stone is oven proof to 500”F, I used my enameled Emille Henry stone I’ve had for at least a decade. Alternatively you can use a shallow large cast iron skillet or a griddle in the same manner).
Check your loaf and give it a final shape if needed by tucking the sides underneath to create a tighter loaf with a little tension. (If the loaf is too loose it will tend to spread out during baking instead of rising up so this step is important). You can shape it into a round Boule or oval Batard, whatever you fancy.
Carefully scoop the bread loaf and drop it on top of the pizza stone (use a dough scraper to help with the transfer if you feel you need to).
Use a dough blade or sharp serrated knife and carve an X in the center of the loaf or a long slit across the top of a batard. Sprinkle with a good pinch of sea salt flakes and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a dark crust is formed. (Optional: spray or splash the top of the dough with a little water to create steam and get an extra crispy crust. I didn't do this here and the loaf was perfectly crispy).
Sea salt flakes for garnish