Sourdough Bread Bowls Recipe | Baker Bettie (2024)

FAQs

What is the best bowl for mixing sourdough bread? ›

Some have preferences for the type of material to use for sourdough baking. However, it doesn't matter if you mix your sourdough bread in metal, ceramic, wood, or glass mixing bowls. I tend not to use plastic bowls for sourdough, but plastic bowls are also acceptable.

Crafted from the same artisan Sourdough bread used in the classic Bread Bowl, the Double Bread Bowl features a crunchy crust and chewy center that pairs perfectly with all Panera soups, from sweet Creamy Tomato to the cheesy goodness of Broccoli Cheddar.

Why Toasting Is The Best Bread Bowl Technique. Part of the appeal of bread bowls is the gradual disintegration of the bread into the soup; the key word here is "gradual." If the bread is too soft from the start, it will become soggy the moment you introduce your filling of choice into it.

Believe it or not, you don't really need a banneton, dutch oven, or a mixing bowl to make sourdough bread at home. Yes, they're useful tools to have and they'll make your life that much easier. However, when it comes to essentials, you don't need as much fancy equipment as you might think.

Stainless steel is the most versatile mixing bowl material because it can be used for nearly every cooking method except microwaving. The standard in professional kitchens, stainless steel bowls come in the widest variety of shapes and sizes.

A pyrex dish with a lid will trap steam inside, the same as a Dutch Oven, which will ultimately benefit your sourdough bake by giving you better oven spring. What is this? To use your Pyrex dish as a Dutch Oven, you should place it in the oven when you turn it on so that it can preheat with your oven.

The Bottom Line. Sourdough has made a comeback—and for good reason. It provides nutrients, including healthy carbs, protein, fiber, iron and vitamins like folic acid. It may help improve digestion, lower chronic disease risk and even promote healthy aging.

Wooden bowls have always been the preferred choice for bread-making because the heat generated by the yeast is retained in the wood, giving the dough an even rise—and because the bowl's high sides protect the dough from drafts.

While our business has expanded well beyond St. Louis since then, that same sourdough starter is still used in our iconic sourdough bread and the craft of baking bread fresh each day remains at the heart of Panera Bread.

That's because when it's turned into a bowl, much of the dough is carved out and discarded, which is just a waste of food. Not only should bakers hate it, but we all should! There are enough people in the world with food insecurity that we shouldn't be throwing out perfectly good bread.

Should I toast my bread bowl? ›

TESSA'S TIP: Once the bread bowls are baked and the centers have been scooped out, place them back on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes or until slightly dried out and crunchy at the edges. This will help prevent sogginess.

The other issue is that when you bake the sourdough, the wet parchment will get baked into your bread and is really hard to peel off. Definitely avoid using parchment to proof you dough. Can I use oil instead of cloth? Yes, many people use oil instead of cloth if using a bowl or smooth surfaced banneton alternative.

It's likely you already have some of these in your kitchen, but extra large glass mixing bowls are imperative for making sourdough. I use these for the autolyse and bulk fermentation stages (both of which are part of the actual loaf-making process) when I'm working with a large amount of dough that rises.

If you don't get rid of the excess, eventually you'll have more starter than your feedings can sustain.

The best flour blend for creating a new sourdough starter is 50% whole-meal flour (whole wheat or whole rye) and 50% bread flour or all-purpose flour. I recommend a 50/50 mix of whole wheat flour and bread flour. Why do you need to use these two types of flour?

While stainless steel is our preferred material for mixing bowl, for anyone who prefers glass or plastic (perhaps to serve out of as well or perhaps for something microwave safe) we recommend the Pyrex glass set and Farberware for plastic. Both topped their categories in terms of versatility and durability.

Metal bowls that you use in cooking are usually stainless steel. They're fine. I usually start in glass just so I can see how much it's rising, but you can absolutely start in a steel bowl.

Bannetons and other proofing baskets (sometimes called brotforms), are used to hold shaped bread dough as it rises. They help the dough maintain its shape, which is particularly helpful if it's a wet, high-hydration dough that, without the support of the basket, might otherwise flatten into a pancake.