Help!! I'm making bread bowls

vyapti

New member
This weekend, I'm making bunny chow, which is basically a curry served in a bread bowl. I want to make my own bread bowls, something a little chewy with a crisp crust. And I'm just wondering if anyone can point me toward a recipe or type of bread that would work.

Thanks.
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
This weekend, I'm making bunny chow, which is basically a curry served in a bread bowl. I want to make my own bread bowls, something a little chewy with a crisp crust. And I'm just wondering if anyone can point me toward a recipe or type of bread that would work.

Thanks.
i would address this to JoeV some how maybe in a PM or visitor message or a thread addressed to him. he can probably help you out.
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
This weekend, I'm making bunny chow, which is basically a curry served in a bread bowl. I want to make my own bread bowls, something a little chewy with a crisp crust. And I'm just wondering if anyone can point me toward a recipe or type of bread that would work.

Thanks.

Ya just had to go and ask a bread question, didn't ya? Ok, get a cup of coffee and sit down for a spell, and I'll tell ya what I don't know about bread bowls.:lol:

Bread bowls are made from just about any lean bread formula, it just depends on what kind of bread you want to serve...white, wheat, rye, pumpernickel, multi-grain, etc. Keep in mind that bread bowls are used mainly for stews or very hearty soups, and don't hold up well to thin soups.

I like a simple dough formulas for bread bowls like French Bread or Italian Bread or even my Rye Bread formula. I don't know how well it would go with curry, but Pumpernickel makes a great bread bowl, and I make it whenever DW wants to take spinach dip to a party. They all lend themselves nicely to developing a chewy crust when exposed to steam during the first 10 minutes of baking because they are lean dough, without much in the way of enrichment from eggs and fats that soften the crumb and crust. The ultimate bread bowl, IMHO, is made with No-Knead Bread. You will get a wonderful, heavy and chewy crust every time, and the flavor is magnificent when left to ferment for around 18 hours +/-. Keep in mind that you can add herbs and/or spices to the dry ingredients for enhanced flavors as well.

Make your dough according to the directions provided and allow to rise. Then you can take a the dough and divide it into 4, 6, 8 or even 10 portions, depending on what percentage of the meal the bread bowl and curry will be. If it will be just for a soup course, then 8 to 10 portions will yield bread bowls weighing 6.8 oz to 5.5 oz. respectively. If it will be dinner in and of itself, then 4-6 portions would yield bowls weighing 13.8 oz. to 9.2 oz. respectively. These figures are based on my French Bread formula which yields 55 oz. of dough, and is fairly typical of most of my bread formulas, +/_ a couple of ounces.

It is well known that the more you work dough that the tougher it becomes. We generally avoid overworking dough for this reason, but it's fine to do so when making bread bowls, because you want them to have some good external strength. After you divide your dough, shape each portion into a tight boule, stretching the dough from the top to the underside of the boule, and pinching it tightly on the bottom. Place the boules on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal with the seam down to proof before baking. Allow them to increase to about 1-1/2 times their original size, then bake them until they reach an internal temp of 200F. They will get a nice oven spring and grow some more in the oven.

If you make any of the lean doughs I suggested above, take a spray bottle and mist the top of the dough so it is WET just as it is going in the oven. Then spray the oven walls with water just enough to create some steam, doing this three times at 3 minute intervals. Alternatively, you can place an old cookie sheet or cast iron pan on the oven floor (for gas ovens) or on the bottom rack position (for electric ovens) while the oven is preheating, and pour a cup of boiling water into the pan right after placing your bread in the oven, then close the door and leave it closed until the baking is complete. Wear a long oven mit when doing this so you don't get a steam burn or accidentaly touch the oven rack with your hand.

Immediately after baking put the finished loaves on a wire rack to cool, and do not cut into them for 1-2 hours minimum. I like to let all of my breads sit for 3 hours before slicing so they have completed the full baking process.

I hope this helps you out. Let us know how they turn out, and be sure to take some pics.
 

vyapti

New member
Wow, this is great. Thanks.

If I make 5-6 bowls from the no-knead dough, would I need to put it in a covered pot, or can I just put them on a baking stone? I have an annodized aluminum pot that would probably fit three bowl sized loafs, so I could make them in two batches, if necessary.
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
I would not mess with the master (JoeV), If you choose the no Knead bread the dough will be so loose that it will run. It needs to be cotained. Joe will most likely be back with more info than I posses.
 

UnConundrum

New member
Gold Site Supporter
What he said :)

On a side note, if you save the insides of your bowls, you can use it to create panko like crumbs.
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
Andy and Warren are right. The loaves should be proofed in a container/basket similar in size to its ultimate baking vessel or the dough will spread out too much to make a decent bread bowl. That being said, you could bake the loaves on a stone as long as you covered the boule with something like a stainless steel mixing bowl. I'm not sure about the anodized aluminum at 450F, but if you're willing to try it, then go for it. This way you could make 2-3 at a time and be done baking in a reasonable amount of time. FWIW, any kind of bowl can be used to proof the dough. Just make sure to make enough dough so you can have decent sized bread bowls. Using baker's percentages you can back into it if you know what weight bowls you want.

Now you've got me thinking about making some of these myself. Maybe this weekend I can make up a beef stew or some turkey chili.

I like that idea about the Panko crumbs.
 
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