Hollowing Out The Bread Bowl Recipes

QUICK AND EASY BREAD BOWLS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, yeast mixture and 3 cups flour; beat on medium speed 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 500°. Punch dough down. Divide and shape into 6 balls. Place 3 in. apart on 2 baking sheets that have been generously sprinkled with cornmeal or greased. Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 15 minutes. Spray loaves with water; if desired, generously sprinkle with sesame seeds. Using a sharp knife, score surface with shallow cuts in an "X" pattern. Bake 2 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 425°. Bake until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190°-200°. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Cut a thin slice off the top of bread. Hollow out bottom portion of loaf, leaving a 1/2-in. shell. Discard removed bread or save for another use, such as croutons.

QUICK BREAD BOWLS

Steps:

• In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed)., When the cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into fourths; shape each into a ball. Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes., Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Cut the top fourth off each roll; carefully hollow out bottom, leaving a 1/4-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Fill with chili, chowder or stew.

FRENCH ONION BREAKFAST BREAD BOWL WITH BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F.
• Slice off the top one-third of the bread with a serrated knife. Hollow out the loaf by cutting a circle around the inside of the bread, leaving a 1-inch border. Pull the soft bread out with your hands, making sure to leave about 1 inch intact at the bottom of the bowl as well. Tear some of the soft insides into large rustic croutons (you'll have about 1 1/2 cups). Reserve the remaining top and bread pieces for another use (such as breadcrumbs).
• Place the bread bowl and croutons on a baking sheet. Spread 2 cups Gruyere inside the bread bowl, pressing the cheese into the sides and bottom to help it adhere. Bake until the cheese is melted and the croutons are golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Cook the broccoli according to the package directions. Transfer to a colander to drain until cool, 5 minutes. Coarsely chop the broccoli and set aside.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, thyme, bay leaf, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden brown, 16 to 20 minutes. (If the onions begin to darken too quickly, reduce the heat to low, add 1 teaspoon water and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan.)
• Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf from the onions. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook until it is fully reduced and the pan is dry, about 2 minutes. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside. Rinse and wipe out the skillet.
• Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, beat the eggs, heavy cream, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Add the egg mixture to the skillet and cook, moving the eggs back and forth with a rubber spatula as they begin to set, until just cooked through and slightly creamy, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in the broccoli.
• Spoon the mixture into the bread bowl, firmly pressing it down with the back of the spoon (you should have about 7 cups of filling). Top with the caramelized onions, then the croutons. Mound the remaining 3 cups Gruyere on top and bake until the cheese is melted and golden around the edges, about 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before slicing into wedges.

HOLLOWING OUT THE BREAD BOWL

Steps:

• After you have baked-off your wonderfully crisp sourdough round and it has cooled, it's time to form the bowl. This brief, simple hollowing-out process is explained in the steps below, along with easy-to-follow drawings to ensure optimal results. 1. Begin with a sourdough round and a large serrated knife. 2. Make a straight cut across the dome of the round, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches from the top. 3. Remove the top, which can be used as a lid or cut into strips and enjoyed with the meal. 4. Using a tablespoon, gently pull the inner bread from the round, leaving a 3/4- to 1-inch thickness along the sides. 5. Grab the bread with your hand. With a twisting motion, remove it in one piece. 6. The bowl is now ready to fill with any and all of the wonderful recipes that follow. Some of our recipes utilize the bread that has been removed from the bowl. However, when the recipe doesn't call for the bread, you can still use it to make homemade breadcrumbs or croutons. For breadcrumbs, simply break the bread into chunks, place them on an unoiled baking sheet, and bake at 350°F for twenty five to thirty-five minutes or until dry. Once the bread cools, crumble it further and store an airtight container. For croutons, cut the bread into cubes, place them on an unoiled baking sheet, and bake at 325°F for thirty to forty minutes until toasted, but not burned. Once cooled, store the croutons in an airtight container. If desired, you can season the breadcrumbs and/or croutons with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, or other favorite spices and herbs.