Bread Bowls

We like bread bowls for creamy soups in the winter.  You cut the top off, gut out the bread for dipping, and enjoy!

Bread Bowls

2 1/2 c. warm water

2 T yeast

2 T sugar

stir or plop in mixer and let froth until doubles

Add:

1 T salt

1 T shortening (I don't measure, just guess with a cereal spoon)

7 c. flour  ***Add about 5 cups, then add 1/2 c. at a time until 7 cups, or until dough cleans side of bowl

Knead until smooth and satiny, not as sticky as your roll dough would be.

Put in greased bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled, punch down. Shape into cylinder globs,  4 globs to a greased cookie sheet, and let rise until double or so.  *Can brush with beaten egg whites just before baking.

Makes 8 large bakery bread bowls.

Bake at 375 for 20 min.

Here are my dough cylinders.  I split one bowl into 2 baby bowls.

Here they are raised right before I baked them.

When it was just me and Rhett, I would halve this recipe and make 4 big bread bowls. This full recipe makes 8 bakery-sized bread bowls.  Or tonight I made 3 large bread bowls, 2 baby bowls, then the other half of the dough I made a big loaf of french bread.

You can also freeze the bread bowls for future meals.