Easy Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best bowl to make bread in? ›

Wooden bowls have always been the preferred choice for bread-making because the heat generated by the yeast is retained in the wood, giving the dough an even rise—and because the bowl's high sides protect the dough from drafts.

Why Toasting Is The Best Bread Bowl Technique. Part of the appeal of bread bowls is the gradual disintegration of the bread into the soup; the key word here is "gradual." If the bread is too soft from the start, it will become soggy the moment you introduce your filling of choice into it.

Crafted from the same artisan Sourdough bread used in the classic Bread Bowl, the Double Bread Bowl features a crunchy crust and chewy center that pairs perfectly with all Panera soups, from sweet Creamy Tomato to the cheesy goodness of Broccoli Cheddar.

Allow dough to rise in a metal or glass bowl. They retain heat better than plastic bowls and you'll get a better rise. You can also run the bowl you're using under some hot water (and then dry it, then spray it with non-stick cooking spray for easy cleanup) before adding the dough so it will be nice and warm.

The most common options are butter, shortening, and cooking oil, and olive oil is one of the best options. Oil in a refillable mister or a store-bought spray oil makes quick work of greasing the bowl.

Tear bite-sized pieces of the bread bowl with your fingers.

Bread bowls are casual foods, so don't be afraid to use your fingers to eat the bread once you've finished most of the soup. Unfortunately, bread bowls don't keep well once you've filled them with soup, so eat as much of the bread as you want!

That's because when it's turned into a bowl, much of the dough is carved out and discarded, which is just a waste of food. Not only should bakers hate it, but we all should! There are enough people in the world with food insecurity that we shouldn't be throwing out perfectly good bread.

TESSA'S TIP: Once the bread bowls are baked and the centers have been scooped out, place them back on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes or until slightly dried out and crunchy at the edges. This will help prevent sogginess.

For serving, cut a large round out of the top of each bread bowl. Scoop out the center (save the center to dunk into soup!) and fill with soup.

Bread bowls can be used to serve chili, New England–style clam chowder, and other thick stews (often, but not always, with a cheese or cream base). Soups with thinner bases are not generally served in bread bowls, as the broth would make the bread get too soggy too quickly.

How do you eat soup out of a bread bowl? ›

To serve, fill the hollowed-out bread up with soup. In the case of French Onion Soup, top with cheese and pop them in the oven. Set your bread bowl on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Eat the soup with a spoon and eat the delicious, broth-soaked bread with your hands!

These dry patches won't stretch during rising to develop an elastic dough, resulting in a dense, squat loaf – not something you want! For best results, use a non-porous, tight fitting cover such as a saucepan lid, bowl cover or even a sheet pan laid on top of the bowl, weighted down with something.

Yes! If a recipe calls for proofing bread dough overnight in the refrigerator, it can be proofed on the counter at a warmer temperature for a shorter period. Rather than placing the dough in the refrigerator overnight, leave it covered on the counter for 1 to 4 hours until it's ready to bake.

The shape of a round bowl allows the dough to maintain a uniform structure during proofing, making it ideal for certain types of bread. For artisanal and rustic breads that rely on a more open crumb structure and irregular shape, a round bowl provides ample space for the dough to spread out naturally.

Glass mixing bowls are a popular choice for many bakers. They are transparent, so you can see what you're mixing, and they're also microwave safe. Glass bowls are also non-reactive, which means they won't absorb any flavours or odours from your ingredients.

Most bakers prefer to bake loaves of bread in metal pans. Metal loaf pans conduct heat quickly and easily, which helps bake loaves evenly by allowing the heat to pass through the pan and into your dough.

I typically use my large stainless steel mixing bowl, but glass, ceramic, or even plastic will be fine. This is one place where size definitely matters. You want a bowl that's large enough to not only contain your ingredients but allow you to get your hands in there and knead the bread.