Wholegrain Dicoccum (Limetz) Flour Balcho 500g

Two-grain, stone-milled, and exceptionally versatile — BALCHO Wholegrain Dicoccum (Emmer) Limetz Flour brings the nutritional richness of a truly ancient Bulgarian wheat together with a more balanced gluten structure that makes it the natural choice for pastry, enriched breads, and artisan baking.

About BALCHO Dicoccum (Emmer) Limetz Flour

Dicoccum — known in Bulgarian as “двузърнест лимец” (two-grain limetz) and in the wider European tradition as Emmer or Dinkel — is Triticum dicoccum, one of the earliest cultivated wheats, domesticated approximately 8,000 years ago. Where einkorn (single-grain limetz) is the older and more primitive of the two wild Bulgarian wheat varieties, dicoccum emerged as a stouter, higher-yielding grain with slightly larger kernels and a gluten composition that bakers have long found more responsive to working and shaping.

BALCHO АГРО ПРОДУКТ (Balcho Agro Product OOD) grows dicoccum from a locally adapted Bulgarian wild emmer variety and mills it whole in a traditional stone mill — bran, germ, and endosperm ground together — with no additives, improvers, preservatives, or colorings added at any stage. The result is a wholegrain flour with a deeper, earthier flavour profile than refined wheat flour, a warm beige-brown colour, and the complete nutritional signature of the ancient grain intact.

Why Dicoccum for Pastry and Enriched Doughs

The key advantage of dicoccum over its single-grain sibling, einkorn, is its gluten architecture. BALCHO’s own description notes that dicoccum “contains a balanced amount of gluten and is suitable for cooking pastry” — meaning the gluten proteins form a network with greater elasticity than einkorn, giving the dough more spring and structure when worked. This makes dicoccum wholegrain flour well-suited to enriched yeasted doughs (sweet breads, buns, kozunak-style preparations), pizza and flatbread bases, rustic pasta, and pastry cases where the dough needs to hold its shape through rolling and shaping. Use it at a 70–80% ratio blended with Casa Bella Type 500 (SKU: SP77) for a lighter crumb that retains ancient grain character, or use it pure for dense, flavourful wholegrain loaves.

How to Bake with Dicoccum Flour

Like all ancient wholegrain flours, dicoccum absorbs liquid more slowly than modern refined flour — but its more elastic gluten means it is more forgiving during kneading than einkorn. Reduce liquid in standard recipes by 10% initially and adjust by feel. A moderate knead (5–8 minutes) is appropriate; unlike einkorn, dicoccum benefits from gentle development rather than strictly minimal working. Long, slow fermentation — whether with yeast or sourdough starter — brings out the grain’s earthy, slightly nutty sweetness and improves digestibility. Excellent for: wholegrain sandwich loaves, pizza bianca, hand-rolled noodles, savoury galettes, enriched sweet breads, and dense biscuits.

What Makes It Special

BALCHO’s dicoccum is grown from a locally adapted Bulgarian wild emmer that requires no artificial fertilizers, no pesticide spraying, and does not absorb harmful substances from the soil. According to BALCHO, wild wheat contains nearly twice the fat, protein, phosphorus, and vitamins B and A compared to modern commercial wheat — nutrients that are preserved intact by the stone-milling process. 500g bag, it delivers exceptional ancient-grain nutrition and flavour at a more accessible price than its einkorn sibling, making it an ideal entry point into heritage-grain baking.

Quick Facts

✓  Type: Wholegrain Dicoccum (Emmer) flour — two-grain ancient wheat (Triticum dicoccum)
✓  Bulgarian name: Пълнозърнесто брашно двузърнест лимец
✓  Brand: BALCHO (БАЛЧО АГРО ПРОДУКТ ООД, Bulgaria)
✓  Origin: Bulgaria (imported)
✓  Net weight: 500g (approx. 1.1 lbs)
✓  Milling method: Traditional stone mill — wholegrain
✓  Ingredients: 100% dicoccum (emmer/limetz) flour — single ingredient
✓  Energy: 337 kcal per 100g
✓  Protein: 14g per 100g
✓  Carbohydrates: 70g per 100g
✓  Fat: 2.4g per 100g
✓  Fiber: 8.75g per 100g
✓  Allergens: CONTAINS WHEAT (GLUTEN) — not safe for celiac disease despite lower gluten content than modern wheat
✓  Additives / GMO / pesticides: None
✓  UPC: 3800060172221
✓  SKU: Bal08

Bulgarian Kitchen Tip

Bulgarian Kitchen Tip

For a deeply flavourful wholegrain Bulgarian-style pizza or savory galette, combine BALCHO Dicoccum Flour with warm water, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of dried savory (chubritsa), and a small amount of active sourdough starter or yeast. Knead for 6–8 minutes to a supple dough, then rest for at least an hour before rolling thin. Top with lutenitsa, roasted vegetables, and crumbled sirene cheese for a heritage-grain take on a classic Bulgarian open pie. The dicoccum base contributes a rich, earthy depth that modern flour pizza cannot match. For a lighter loaf, blend 70% BALCHO Dicoccum with 30% Casa Bella Type 500 Flour (SKU: SP77) — you get ancient-grain nutrition with a softer, more open crumb.

Pairs with: Casa Bella All Purpose Flour Type 500 (SKU: SP77) for blended loaves, BALCHO Einkorn Limetz Flour (SKU: Bal07) — the single-grain sibling for comparison baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dicoccum (Emmer), and how is it different from Einkorn?

Dicoccum (двузърнест лимец in Bulgarian) is Triticum dicoccum — “two-grain wheat,” also known as Emmer. It is a distinct ancient species from Einkorn (Triticum monococcum, single-grain). Both are wild wheats milled by BALCHO in Bulgaria; the key differences are in the grain’s gluten structure and baking behaviour. Dicoccum has more balanced, slightly more elastic gluten, making it more responsive in pastry and enriched dough than the softer, more extensible einkorn. Both are high in protein and fiber; einkorn has slightly more of each (15g protein vs 14g; 10g fiber vs 8.75g per 100g).

What does “Dinkel” mean — is this the same as Spelt?

BALCHO’s English product page refers to this flour as “Dinkel,” and in Central Europe “Dinkel” is the German word for Spelt (Triticum spelta). However, the product’s scientific classification on the Malincho listing — “Dicoccum” — refers to Emmer (Triticum dicoccum), a different though related ancient wheat. These terms are sometimes used loosely in Bulgarian commerce to describe the broader family of ancient wild wheats. The physical packaging should be treated as the authoritative source for species identification.

Is dicoccum flour safe for people with celiac disease?

No. Dicoccum is an ancient wheat species and contains gluten. It is not safe for celiac disease or wheat allergy. Some individuals with non-celiac gluten sensitivity report better tolerance of ancient wheats, but this is not a medical guarantee and varies significantly between people. Anyone with a diagnosed gluten condition should consult a physician before consuming this product.

How does dicoccum behave differently from einkorn in baking?

Both are ancient wholegrain flours that require less liquid and gentler handling than modern refined flour. The key difference is gluten character: einkorn gluten is very extensible but weakly elastic, producing a soft, delicate dough best for flatbreads and minimal-manipulation recipes. Dicoccum gluten is more balanced — somewhat more elastic — meaning it tolerates moderate kneading and shaping better, making it more versatile for pastry, yeasted rolls, pizza bases, and enriched doughs where the gluten needs to hold structure through proving and baking.

Can I blend dicoccum flour with regular flour?

Yes — and blending is a practical way to introduce ancient grain character into everyday baking while maintaining a lighter crumb. A 70% Dicoccum / 30% Casa Bella Type 500 (SKU: SP77) blend works well for sandwich loaves, buns, and pizza dough, delivering noticeable ancient grain flavour and a meaningful nutritional uplift without the dense, compact texture of 100% wholegrain ancient flour. Adjust liquid slightly upward as you increase the proportion of modern flour.

How many bags come in a case, and is bulk pricing available?

A full case contains 10 bags of 500g each (5 kg total). A 5% discount applies when purchasing 10 or more bags — making this an excellent value for health-focused bakeries, artisan restaurants, and committed heritage-grain bakers. BALCHO Dicoccum is the most accessible ancient grain flour in the Malincho flour range.