Easy beef stew at www.recipetips.com
What could be heartier than stew in its own edible bowl? Or prettier than fruit salad in a tiny cup that tastes wonderful? The variety of flours to combine, and the array of seeds, nuts, spices and herbs to add, are as wide as your imagination. Bread bowls aren't just for restaurants. They're simple to make at home, and guests will rave.
Instructions
1. Nearly any yeast bread will do. Whole wheat, French, herbed and seeded containers complement the filling. Rye is a delicious choice, if the recipe combines rye and wheat flours so the dough fully rises, because rye flour has no gluten.
The dough must be stiff enough to hold up to baking outside a container. Very tender yeast dough is not appropriate.
2. Shaping is the crux of the difference between a bread bowl and disappointment.
Rise the dough twice. After the second rising, knead silky. Divide a two-loaf recipe into 10 pieces for individual bread bowls or two pieces if you're making family-sized bowls.
Vigorously roll each piece into a ball without seams or loose parts. Let sit 3 to 5 minutes.
Press the heel of your hand into the center of each ball, making a depression, then pull and squeeze the walls in. Repeat several times, until the finished ball feels quite stiff. Coat each ball with oil or butter and set on a flat sheet.
3. It also works to set each oiled ball into a round container, such as a casserole dish, muffin cup or cleaned and well-greased metal can. Container walls support delicate doughs. The result is a bread bowl with extra corners.
4. Let rise one last time, then bake according to recipe instructions. Cool on racks.
Cut off the domed top of each completely cool bread bowl to make a funnel shape. Scoop out the insides to about 1/2 inch from crust. Use insides for dipping or freeze to make poultry dressing. Fill and eat.
Tags: bread bowl, each ball