Is there anything more comforting than freshly baked bread? This is a treat and my kids would eat anything I put in them. If you have sourdough starter use it to create this recipe. If you don’t, then make whatever bread you like. They are a generous size, so I took the tops from the bread and used them to make toast and then breadcrumbs for a pasta dish later in the week.

Sourdough Bread Bowls

Makes 4 bowls

PREP 20 minutes

COOK 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (227g) ripe (fed) sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups (340g) lukewarm water

1 to 2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

5 cups (602g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all of the ingredients, kneading to form a smooth dough.

2. Allow the dough to rise, in a lightly greased, covered bowl, until it's doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

3. Gently divide into 4 equal pieces. If you are weighing them, it’ll be about 300 grams each.

4. Gently shape each portion of dough into a round ball, giving the dough height as you form it. Place 2 loaves on a parchment lined half sheet pan, spacing them apart.

5. Grease a piece of plastic wrap and cover each loaf. Allow the breads to rise for about 1 hour until they are puffy. When the bread is 10 minutes from the end of proofing, preheat the oven to 425°F.

6. Place a pan of hot water on the bottom of your oven to steam the breads, making the outside crusty.

7. Make a slash in the top of each loaf and bake the breads for about 20 minutes or until the outside is golden and the inside registers 200 degrees with a thermometer.

8. Allow the bread to cool on a rack before cutting into it. Fill with your desired soup, stew of chowder. Enjoy!