Bread Bowls

Directions

Pour the warm water over yeast in the stand mixer bowl. Whisk together and allow to sit until frothy and foamy (about 5 minutes).
With the stand mixer running on low speed, add the sugar, salt, olive oil, and 2/3 of the bread flour. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, then add remaining flour. Beat on low speed for 5-6 minutes. While beating, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be thick, yet soft, only slightly sticky
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Grease the mixing bowl with nonstick spray or olive oil, put the dough back in, and turn once to coat it in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm environment to rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.
Once doubled in size, punch down the dough to release any air bubbles. Remove dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down again to release any more air bubbles if needed.
Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut into 6 even pieces. Form each into a large ball. They may seem small, but 6 is the right number.
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper, and place 3 dough balls onto each. Cover lightly and set aside to rest for 20 minutes as the oven preheats.
Combine egg and milk to create the egg wash. Brush each dough ball with egg wash and, using a sharp knife, score an X into the tops of each.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool until ready to handle. The longer you cool, the easier they are to cut open!
For serving, cut a large round out of the top of each bread bowl. Scoop out the center (save the center to dunk into soup!) and fill with soup.
Cover and store leftover bread bowls at room temperature for a couple days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. You can also freeze the baked bread bowls for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.