Sourdough Bread Bowls Recipes

Steps:

• For the levain: Combine the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, water and starter in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Cover and let sit at room temperature until bubbly and increased in volume by about 20 percent, about 8 hours.
• For the dough: Add the all-purpose flour, water and whole-wheat flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Weigh out 7 ounces of the levain (about 1 cup) and add to the mixer (discard any remaining levain). Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Add the salt to the dough and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes; the dough should feel a bit sticky and wet but look smooth and very stretchy. Scrape the dough into a plastic or glass container about twice its size. Cover and let sit at room temperature until puffed, about 45 minutes.
• Put the dough on a floured work surface, flatten it gently, then fold in thirds like a business letter. Transfer it back to the container. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
• Repeat the folding process one more time, transfer back to the container, cover and let sit at room temperature for another 45 minutes. After the third 45-minute rest, the dough should feel soft and pillowy; when pressed with a finger, it should leave an indentation that begins to spring back.
• Gently scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide in half using a bench scraper. Shape each piece loosely into a round by gently tucking the edges under. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Drape 2 kitchen towels into 2 medium (8-inch) bowls and dust very generously with flour. Dust the top of the dough rounds very lightly with flour and flip over using a bench scraper. Flatten one piece of dough into a circle, then fold the left and right sides of the dough over the center. Keeping tension in the dough, begin folding down from the top edge in 3 segments, sealing the bottom edge with the last fold. Loosely cup the dough and, using your hands and the tension between the board and the dough, pull the bread very slowly towards yourself while creating a taut ball. Gently flip the dough ball over and into one of the prepared bowls. Cover loosely with another kitchen towel. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough. Place both in a warm place to rise until about 1 1/2 times their size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• About 20 minutes before baking, position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven, put a 4-quart Dutch oven and lid on the rack and preheat to 500 degrees F. When preheated, carefully transfer the hot Dutch oven to a heatsafe surface with oven mitts (leave the lid in the oven). Flip one round of dough over into the Dutch oven. Using a sharp knife, scissors or bread lame, score the top of the bread in a cross or desired pattern. Return to the oven, immediately cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 425 degrees F, uncover and bake until dark brown, about 10 minutes more. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack to cool completely. Return the empty Dutch oven to the oven, raise the temperature to 500 degrees F and let heat for 10 minutes before repeating the baking process with the second dough round.

Steps:

• For the sourdough starter:.
• In a medium bowl, stir the yeast into the lukewarm water. Let the mixture activate (should take about 15 minutes to bubble). Add the bread flour and stir. Cover with a dish towel and let sit for 2-3 days. It's best if you store the starter where the room temperature is warm (80-85 degrees). To keep the starter going, you have to "feed" it. For each 1 cup you take out, replace with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour.
• For the bread bowls:.
• Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.
• Give the starter a good stir as it separates after sitting a while. Add the cup of starter and the 1/2 cup of water to the flour and stir until it forms a rough dough. You will probably need to use your hands to work the dough until it comes together into a ball.
• On a clean work surface, lightly cover with flour and roll the dough in it. Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and satiny.
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl to rise. Cover with a clean dish towel and place in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size (about 2 hours).
• Remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down to knock most of the volume out of it.
• Then knead the bread briefly, just to get it back into a nice ball shape.
• Cut the dough in half, then cut each piece in half again.
• Knead each of the pieces just until they're round again. Form the pieces of dough into ball shapes and tuck any loose edges or seams underneath.
• Place the dough balls on an ungreased baking sheet as far apart as you can.
• Put the baking sheet somewhere warm to let the dough rise a second time until doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours).
• Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then at 375 degrees for another 30 minutes. When done, they will make a hollow sound when you tap them on the bottom.
• Cut a circle in the top and hollow out much of the bread inside to make room for some delicious soup!