We’ll get to the creamy, soupy part in a bit.
But first: carbs.
I know I sometimes say bread isn’t my weakness, yet bread bowls? I’m all in. I still remember my first one, long before Panera was in my area. It was a summer in Michigan and I scraped seafood bisque with a spoon while tearing into a soft sourdough loaf used as the bowl.
I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.
Truly.
It was the most delicious thing I’d tasted, and I couldn’t stop talking about it. I nagged my mom about how the soup was served in an actual bread bowl and why that wasn’t everywhere.
Then Panera made bread bowls more commonplace and, in a way, the novelty faded. They’re still fantastic — I order one almost every time I’m there — but the magic of being able to get one anytime took some of the thrill away. Also: convenience is wonderful.
These bread bowls are an intentionally healthier take on the classic sourdough version. I won’t lie — I’d reach for sourdough over whole wheat any day, especially paired with a soul-warming soup — but until I either make a sourdough starter or borrow some, whole wheat is a great alternative. Aside from the usual dough rising time, these are incredibly simple to make.
They’re so easy that I now refuse to eat my soup out of anything else.
Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Bowls
Yield:
4
bread bowls
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Ingredients
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 1/8 cup active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
Instructions
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In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine warm water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix briefly with a spoon and let sit 5–10 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy. In a separate bowl, measure the flours and salt.
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With the mixer on low, add the flours gradually. Knead with the dough hook on low for 10–12 minutes, occasionally pulling the dough off the hook and returning it to the bowl. Remove the dough (it will be sticky) and work it on a floured surface, kneading a few times and adding small amounts of flour until it’s elastic and not overly sticky. Oil a bowl, place the dough inside, flip to coat, cover and set in a warm place to rise for about 1.5 hours.
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Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
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After rising, punch down the dough and shape into a large round. Divide into four equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet, cover and let rise another 20–30 minutes. Tighten each ball by rolling again, brush with the beaten egg, gently score the tops, and bake 40–45 minutes or until golden. Let cool completely, then cut a round from the center with a serrated knife and fill with your favorite soup.
Notes
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Just wait until I tell you about the soup.