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Spelt Bread Bowls

As soon as autumn begins its cool descent, the urge for soup and bread beckon. What better way to join the two than putting one inside of the other? You could certainly dunk slices of your bread, or make croutons from a fading loaf, but the ultimate combination is to use the bread as your vessel for soup! It’s tempting to dismiss bread bowls as gimmicky or difficult, but neither is the case.  There’s something extra satisfying about cracking into that crusty loaf enveloping a hearty soup. This recipe calls for about 1/3 whole flour and 2/3’s bread flour. I used spelt here but you could use any of the heirloom wheat flour for some delicious variations. Divide the batch of dough into either four large bowls or six medium sized vessels. Here I’ve filled them with French onion soup (click for recipe, or see below) but they also make a perfect vessel for chowder or other comforting stews.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lbs bread flour
  • 12 oz whole spelt flour
  • 2 cups water (heated to 90-100°)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 tsp instant yeast (for overnight fermentation in the refrigerator) or 2 tsp yeast (for about a 2 hour fermentation)

Instructions

  1. Decide on overnight or quick fermentation and use the corresponding amount of yeast.
  2. Weigh out and mix the dry ingredients.
  3. Measure and heat your water to 90-100°.
  4. Mix your dough. This is a stiff dough. It should be hard work to get all the flour mixed in. That’s what allows your loaves to stand tall enough to hold soup.
  5. If you’re doing the overnight fermentation, put dough directly into the refrigerator.
  6. If you’re doing the short fermentation leave on the counter and allow it to increase in volume 50-75% twice. This will take 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Check every thirty minutes and fold after the first rise.
  7. Once fermentation is complete, divide dough into 4 or 6 pieces and shape into rounds.(4 large bowls, or 6 medium sized bowls) and place on a silpat-lined sheet pan.
  8. Allow to rise in a warm place covered until doubled in 

volume: 30-90 minutes 

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees for 30 minutes.
  2. Slash and load your breads and immediately toss 3 ounces of water into the bottom of your oven and close the door quickly behind to trap the steam.
  3. Bake until perfectly browned, about 20-25 minutes,
  4. Take out from oven and allow to cool.
  5. Cut out the top and scoop out the middle.
  6. Fill with your favorite soup and serve. French onion gets topped with gruyere and broiled to melt the cheese.

  • Author: Ben Lester

Find it online: https://localgrain.org/spelt-bread-bowls/