Remember when St Louis Bread Company (AKA Panera) served their yummy soups in bread bowls? We had a taste for soup in a bowl and so I whipped these up! Delicious and ever so easy! They rose so perfectly – I was so happy with the results!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups warm water (105-110F)
- 5 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 4 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 7 cups bread flour
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- cornmeal (to sprinkle on baking pan)
- Egg wash: 1 large egg + 1 tsp water
Instructions
- Combine warm water, yeast and 1 tsp of sugar in bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with dough hook. Stir, allow to rest 5 minutes until it appears foamy. (sometimes if it's cooler in the house - it takes a minute or two longer)
- Add melted butter, stir until combined
- In separate bowl, stir 4 Tbs sugar, all the flour and the salt
- Turn mixer to low speed, gradually add flour mixture until combined. Dough should be soft, and a bit sticky to the touch. If it is sticking to the bowl and everything else - then add 1 Tbsp at a time, until it's just slightly sticky. Dough should be elastic and smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
- Move the dough to a lightly oiled (I use olive oil and spread it around with a paper towel) and roll the surface of dough around the bowl until all covered. Cover with a light clean cloth and allow to rise in a warm draft free area for about 1-2 hours. I put mine on top of the stove as I had other stuff baking. I have also placed in front of the fireplace as well!
- Gently deflate the dough and divide into 6 even pieces (I actually weighed and divided evenly using my kitchen scale). They then rise evenly and bake evenly since they are all the same size. Roll into balls.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal liberally over the parchment.
- Place each dough bowl onto the baking sheet - separated by a minimum of 2-3". Use a sharp knife or lame to make an "X" on the top of each dough ball.
- Make the egg wash by mixing the egg and water together. Liberally brush each bowl with egg wash. DO NOT THROW away the wash as it will be utilized again.
- Cover with a clean soft towel (I used parchment one time and it stuck to the bowls!) Allow to rise.
- Preheat oven to 425. By the time the oven has come up to 425, the dough bowls should have doubled in size.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, brush again with egg wash. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Bread should be golden brown and sound hollow when thumped.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool completely.
- Once cooled, use a bread knife to slice off the top of each bowl and hollow out the middle using same knife or tearing with clean hands.
- Use as you want - we have put fish stew in ours, broccoli soup as well and one time yummy roasted red pepper soup. Be cautious with anything too "brothy" as they could leak!
As always – enjoy!