Maureen others may have a different experience but I find soup in bread bowls to be yucky! One of those things that sounds better than it is.

The bread gets sorta mushy and you can't eat the bread until the soup is gone....which is OK but I like to have my carbs along with my soup not after.

Perhaps it was just the bread bowls I used.

I find bread bowls to be a royal pita.

Dick has wonderful memories of a posole in a bread bowl in Flagstaff while it snowed. I think they are...well, yucky is a nice word. I wonder if Dick thinks the bread bowls don't count as 'bread' and therefore have fewer calories!!

But that said....I do try to please. ;-)

Maureen, I make bread bowls for soup and Ashley loves them because she's a "dunker", she loves bread with soup so she eats the edges of the bowl as she goes, LOL. Yeah, I know. She's interesting. Anyway....

I wouldn't use a soft bread or something that makes a soft dough because when you shape them into rounds they're going to flatten out too much for bowls. I use my sturdy whole wheat recipe, one without a bunch of sweetener because I don't want sweet with soup either.

A nice sourdough works well too, but I know you don't have time for starter. You could even use frozen bread dough (I know, heresy!!) The following technique works pretty well, but I'm more prone to just making a "lump" of dough on a baking sheet, then cutting off the top and scooping the middle out after baking so I have a "bowl". Do not butter the crust of the bread after baking, it gets too soft.

Whole Wheat Bread Bowls
1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115F)
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Measure water into large bowl; sprinkle in yeast and stir until dissolved. Add sugar, salt, oil, and 1 1/4 cups bread flour; beat until smooth. Add whole wheat flour and enough additional bread flour to make stiff dough. Turn onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, 10 to 12 minutes. Place dough in bowl that has been lightly coated with nonstick spray, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour.

Grease outside of 6 ovenproof bowls that are approximately 4-inches in diameter (10-ounce custard cups).

Punch dough down; divide into 6 pieces. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Spread each piece into a circle about 6 inches in diameter. Place over outside of bowl, working dough with hands until it fits. Set bowls, dough side up, on baking sheet coated with nonstick spray. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Combine egg and milk; gently brush mixture on dough. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Using potholders, carefully remove the bowls. Set bread bowls, open side up on baking pan; bake 5 minutes.

*Frozen bread dough can be used. A one-pound loaf will make 4 bowls.
Servings: 6 4-inch bowls

Here's a plain white "italian" type dough, using the technique I use more often: make little round loaves and cut them into bowls.

Bread Bowls

Yield: 8 bowls

2 packages active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
7 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition.

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

Punch dough down, and divide into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 4 inch round loaf. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.
To make bowls: Cut a 1/2 inch thick slice from top of each loaf; scoop out centers, leaving 3/4-inch-thick shells. Fill bread bowls with hot soup and serve immediately.

Good luck, and don't tell Ashley or she'll want me to make some!

Annie

I'd probably go buy some at Panera. I only like soup in chewy bread with tough skins like artisan sourdough.

Aha! Panera...I shall go ask tonight.

Thanks for the details Annie. Ashley and Dick would be happy eating together.

I do wonder if any of the other 'guys' will be eating their bowls, which is why I am having my doubts about the need for this. But again, he's the one who wants it and he doesn't ask for much.

Ditto, Bumblebeez' suggestion. Go buy some sturdy artisan sourdough small rounds.

OK, this may be a dumb question, but if it's so yucky, why not cut out a hole and insert straight sided bowls (like personal souffle size) into the hole. Then you can eat the bread without the bread dam bursting and still have the "look"?

Or am I missing the whole point of the bread bowls? I admit I've never eaten soup in one.

Renee, I think the purpose of the bread bowl is to have soup and bread, all at once. Some people (myself included) like to eat bits of bread in their soup, much like crackers. Ashley is a "dunker" and I'll bet the manners people would have a ball with that.

Annie

Well...I use the "usual bread recipe...try Annie's 2nd recipe...
BUT...I cut the tops off, pull out the inside....and then put the whole thing back into a 250 oven for about 15 minutes....crisps it up a bit so it doesn't sog out so fast.

Oh, I thought it was mostly a "looks cool and trendy" thing. I like to dunk, too, but I rather dunk the bread in the soup than the soup in the bread. :) But then I don't like mushy food much.

I didn't make them, but I did buy Dick a bread bowl for tonight's posole. Thank you Panera...

My local bakery makes them for me... for others in case Panera isnt available check with you local bakery

The local bakery is more expensive than Panera... a franchise of Great Harvest. I told Dick that one day...one day in the faaaar distant future....I will make bread bowls at home. Actually, I want to try it this winter - we need to be home enough for me to do so. :-0