These homemade bread bowls are crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and perfect for serving soup or dip! They are easy to make, using common everyday ingredients, and can even be frozen for later! It will quickly become your new favorite way to enjoy soup, stew, chili, and dip!
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Instructions
Place 4½ teaspoon active dry yeast and the first half of the 1 tablespoon sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached, or into a large mixing bowl. Pour 2¼ cups warm water over the yeast and whisk it together. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy.
Turn the mixer to low speed (or mix by hand) and add the remaining ½ portion of the 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 4 cups out of the 6 cups bread flour and 2 teaspoon salt.
Mix for 1 minute, and then add the remaining 2 cups of flour and mix on low for another 5-6 minutes, or until the dough is soft, thick, and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. *If the dough is too sticky, you can add more flour in 1-tablespoon increments.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form it into a ball. Place the ball into a greased mixing bowl, turning it so that the top of the dough also becomes greased. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it into a warm area to rise for 90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
After doubling in size, punch down the dough. Turn it out onto a floured surface and punch it down again. Then, separate the dough into 6 equal portions and form each one into a ball.
Place the dough balls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper (3 dough balls on each sheet), cover them, and set them aside to rest for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
Once heated, brush the top of each ball with an egg wash (1 large eggbeaten together with 1 tablespoon milk) and use a sharp knife to score a cross into the tops of the dough.
Bake in the oven at 400°F (205°C) for 25-30 minutes or until the bread is golden in color.
Remove the bread from the oven and let them cool. Then, use a knife to cut a large circle out of the top and scoop out the center of the bread. Fill with your favorite soup or dip and serve immediately.
Notes
Adding the salt directly to your bloomed yeast can retard the rising of your bread dough. Add the 4 cups of flour with the salt on top of the dry ingredients to mix it in with the other ingredients.
For extra flavor, mix in 1½ tablespoons of garlic powder when you add the flour. Or, you can try 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon of rosemary, or 1 tablespoon of onion powder.
Using warm water will significantly reduce the rise time. However, if the water is too hot (over 120°F/49°C), it will begin killing the active dry yeast.
I recommend using bread flour for the best texture. If you don't have any, you can make your own or swap it out for all-purpose flour.
Portion your bread bowl dough into 6 rounds, or boules, that are approximately 4.5-5 inches (11.4-12.7 centimeters) round. Each boule should hold a 1½ cup serving of soup or dip easily.
For serving party dips, portion the dough into 3-4 larger boules.
To store: Your bread bowls can be covered and kept at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To freeze: Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and set it on the counter to come to room temperature before serving.
To reheat: Wrap the bread bowls in foil and place them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
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