Ingredients
Method
Day 1 - Mix the Dough/Bulk Fermentation
- You will need your food scale.
- Combine your active starter and water in a bowl. Using a danish whisk, stir together until thoroughly combined.
- Add your flour and stir. Your dough will look shaggy. Cover the bowl and let it rest (autolyse) for 30 minutes.
- Add the salt to your dough. Stir or use your hands to mix it all together.
- Now, cover the bowl with a towel and place your dough in a warm spot for bulk fermentation. With fresh-milled flour, my dough is always ready at 4 hours. It may take longer if using another type of flour and/or if your house is cool. The key isn't the timing but when your dough is done proofing, it should have tiny holes on the bottom of the dough.
Stretch ‘n Folds
- Start by pulling the dough up towards you on one side. Pull it back down. Turn the bowl towards your right and repeat four of these stretch n' folds. You'll do this every 20-30 minutes for two hours. So, four sets of stretch and folds.
Shaping/Cold-Proof
- On a clean surface, sprinkle a dusting of flour and place your dough on top. Cut your dough in half with a knife or bench scraper.
- Take each piece of dough (separately) and stretch it out into the shape of a small rectangle. Pull the right side out and then fold it in. Do the same thing with the left side. Next, pull the section in front of you up and then down.It should resemble the shape of an envelope.
- Now, start moving the dough back and forth towards you, creating tension. You'll start shaping it into a round ball.
- Place a towel in your banneton baskets or small bowls. Dust a little bit of flour so the dough doesn't stick.
- Turn your ball upside down and place in the basket. The bottom of the loaves should be on the top. Fold the towel in and place in a plastic grocery bag.
- Final step for the night: place your dough bowls in the fridge to cold proof overnight. You can usually go8-24 hours. Mine are perfect right at the 12 hour mark.
Day 2 - Bake Day
- Preheat your oven to 450° and place your baking vessel (Dutch oven or any pan with a lid) inside the oven to warm up for 30 minutes.
- About 10 minutes before the oven is finished warming up, pull your dough out of the fridge. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough. You will now flip it over so the dough is sitting on the parchment paper. Score your loaf.
- Place the little bread loaves in the baking vessel(s). Put the lid on and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for 15 minutes. The tops of the loaves should be golden and crispy. I also fill a tray in the bottom of my oven with water and a few ice cubes to create steam while they are baking.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
How to Cut the Bread Bowls
- Using a knife, cut a "square" on the top of the loaf. Pull the section out. I like to just use my hands.
- Keep scooping out enough of the bread to create space to fill the bowl with your favorite soup or stew.
- You can either save the bread to eat with your meal or create bread crumbs.
- If you've baked your bread bowls in the morning, just place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and warm them up for about 10-15 minutes in a 300° oven.
- I like to place my bread bowls in a real bowl, just in case for leaking. Ladle your favorite soup/stew and enjoy!
Notes
- I am using fresh-milled flour. If you choose to use another flour, make the adjustments for water. Fresh-milled wheat absorbs more liquid and other flours do not. You’ll need to adjust to whatever flour you use.
- If freezing these bread bowls, pre-cut the tops off and pop them in the bag along with the bowls. You can also make bread crumbs out of the scrap pieces.
- I like to place the bread bowl inside a real bowl just in case the soup would leak out as you're eating it.