Bread Bowls for Soup

Before you start

A bread bowl has one job beyond tasting good: hold a ladle of hot soup for the length of a meal without going soggy or springing a leak. That calls for a lean, fairly firm dough, a tight round shape, and a long, hot bake that sets a thick crust.

Each bowl here starts as a generous 175 g ball, large enough to leave a sturdy wall after hollowing. Let the rolls cool completely before you cut them; warm crumb tears and squashes. A final short toast of the hollowed bowls dries the inside surface, which slows the soup from soaking in. Thick soups such as chowder, chili or broccoli cheddar work far better than thin broths.

Ingredients

• Dough600 g (5 cups) bread flour
• 12 g (2 tsp) fine salt
• 15 g (1 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 9 g (1 tbsp) instant yeast
• 400 ml (1⅔ cups) lukewarm water
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• Finish1 large egg white — beaten with 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp cornmeal — for the pans

Method

1. Combine the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Add the water and olive oil and knead for 8 to 10 minutes on medium-low, until smooth, elastic and only slightly tacky.
2. Cover and let rise until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 6 pieces of about 175 g. Shape each into a very tight ball by folding the edges to the center, flipping it, and rolling it under a cupped hand against the counter until the top is taut.
4. Place three balls on each parchment-lined sheet dusted with cornmeal, leaving at least 10 cm (4 in) between them. Cover and proof until puffy and about 1½ times larger, 40 to 50 minutes. Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
5. Brush the rolls with egg white wash and cut a shallow cross or a single slash in the top of each.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, switching the sheets halfway, until deep golden brown, hollow-sounding when tapped underneath and about 96°C (205°F) inside. A firm, well-colored crust is essential for a bowl that holds.
7. Cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour.
8. To serve, heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Cut a 1 cm (½ in) deep circle about 2 cm (¾ in) inside the edge of each top and lift off the lid. Pull out the crumb with your fingers, leaving walls and a base about 1.5 cm (½ in) thick. Toast the bowls and lids for 5 minutes, then fill with hot soup.

Tips for success

• Save the scooped-out crumb for croutons or breadcrumbs, or toast it to serve on the side for dunking.
• Fill the bowls just before serving and set them on plates. Even a well-made bowl softens after about 20 to 30 minutes of hot soup.
• An egg white wash gives a shinier, crisper crust than whole egg, which browns more and stays softer.

Substitutions

Bread flour

All-purpose flour with 20 ml less water. The bowls will be a bit softer and less sturdy, so leave thicker walls.

Egg white wash

Brush with water and dust with flour for a rustic, matte crust that is fully egg-free.

Some of the bread flour

Replace 150 g with whole wheat or rye flour for a heartier bowl; add 15 to 20 ml water.

Variations

Sourdough-style bowls

Replace 100 g of the water and 100 g of the flour with 200 g ripe 100 percent hydration starter, cut the yeast to 4 g and expect longer rises.

Cheddar-crusted bowls

Brush with egg white and press 15 g grated sharp cheddar onto each top before baking.

Troubleshooting

Soup soaked through the bottom

The base was scooped too thin or the crust was underbaked. Leave 1.5 cm of crumb at the bottom and bake until deep brown.

Rolls spread flat instead of round

The dough was too wet, the balls were loose, or they overproofed. Shape tightly and bake as soon as they look puffy.

Crumb tore when hollowing

The bowls were still warm. Wait until they are fully cool before cutting.

Storage

Unfilled bread bowls keep at room temperature in a paper bag for 1 day or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw and re-crisp at 180°C (350°F) for 8 minutes before hollowing. Once filled with soup, eat within 2 hours and refrigerate leftover soup separately.

Safety notes

Raw dough contains uncooked flour and should not be tasted. Contains wheat and egg.