There's something quietly satisfying about baking with a grain that predates the Roman Empire. Khorasan wheat – marketed under the trademarked name Kamut® – is an ancient cereal grain originally from the Fertile Crescent and still grown today in Iran, where it has traditionally been used as camel fodder. Don't let that put you off. It makes exceptional bread - and this Khorasan Kamut loaf is proof of that.

I discovered Khorasan a few years ago through El Amasadero, a mill in Málaga province that I've been buying from ever since. They stock an excellent range of stoneground organic flours — spelt, buckwheat, strong white, and wholemeal — and deliver throughout Spain. Khorasan was a natural next step, and it's become a regular in the Casa Adora bread rotation.

Khorasan Kamut loaf cooling on the rack – Casa Adora

It's worth knowing upfront: Khorasan is not gluten-free. It's an ancient grain with a different gluten structure to modern wheat, which some people find easier to digest, but it contains gluten and is not suitable for coeliacs. What it does have is high protein, good fibre, and a rich, slightly buttery flavour that makes a loaf worth baking.

This recipe uses the Panasonic bread maker on the wholegrain rapid cycle. It's simple and reliable, and the result is a large loaf that slices beautifully for sandwiches and makes outstanding toast.

What is Khorasan Wheat?

Khorasan is one of the oldest cultivated grains in the world — a relative of durum wheat with large, golden kernels and a nutty, slightly sweet flavour. Unlike most modern wheat varieties, Kamut® is never genetically modified and is always grown organically under a protected trademark. You'll find it in specialist health food shops and online — in Spain, El Amasadero is the most reliable source I've found.

It has a higher protein content than standard wheat and a denser, more golden crumb. Mixed with strong white flour, this Khorasan Kamut loaf has real character – flavourful enough to eat with just butter and robust enough to hold up to anything you put on it.

Ingredients

• 350g Khorasan (Kamut) flour
• 150g strong white flour
• 360ml water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• A drizzle of honey
• A pinch of vitamin C powder (optional)
• 7g dried yeast (1 sachet)

Method

This Khorasan Kamut loaf uses the Panasonic bread maker on the wholegrain rapid cycle. Add ingredients to the bread maker pan in the order recommended by your manufacturer — liquids first for Panasonic.

Panasonic settings:

• Size: Large
• Programme: Wholegrain Rapid
• Time: 3 hours

Once baked, turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely before slicing. This is important – cutting too early compresses the crumb, and you lose the texture.

A few notes on your Khorasan Kamut loaf

The honey is subtle – just enough to feed the yeast and add a faint warmth to the flavour. Don't skip it.

Vitamin C powder is optional but worth adding if you have it. It strengthens the gluten structure and gives a slightly better rise, particularly with ancient grain flours.

Khorasan flour absorbs water differently to standard wheat, so don't be tempted to add more flour if the dough looks slightly wet at the start of the cycle – it will come together.

This Khorasan Kamut loaf keeps well for two to three days and toasts exceptionally well. If anything, it improves slightly on the second day.