Add the water and olive oil to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve. If using dry yeast, set aside for 15 minutes in order to allow the yeast to bloom.
300 ml water, 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or quick yeast, 4 tablespoons olive oil
Add the flour and salt, then stir to mix into a shaggy dough. It will be soft.
500 grams spelt flour*, 1 teaspoons sea salt
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead, using a dough scraper as needed, until a soft, stretchy dough forms. It will be sticky. You should knead for 5-6 minutes by hand, or less time if using a stand mixer.
Transfer the dough back into the mixing bowl. Dampen your hands and use a scooping and rotating movement with your hand to form the dough into a smooth ball (see video).
Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about an hour or an hour and a half, depending on the room temperature.
Gently punch the dough down to deflate. Form 12 equal buns, pinching the pieces of dough to form balls and then rotating on a clean work surface to create some surface tension. Each bun should be about 72 grams in weight if you want to have exactly equal sizes.
Place the buns onto a lined baking sheet and cover again. Set aside to rise until puffy but not doubled in size, about half an hour. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) while the buns are rising.
Score the tops of the buns if desired and bake for about 20 minutes, or until very golden and the outside feels hard to the touch. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Seed Coating
For the optional seed coating, place seeds into a shallow dish. Brush the buns with the egg wash after shaping (don't let them rise first), then dip in the seeds. Place the coated buns back onto the lined baking sheet, then rise and bake as usual.
1 egg, Raw seeds
Video
Notes
* Use any blend of light and whole grain spelt you'd like. I usually do 50/50.• Please reference the recipe video for visual assistance in forming the buns.