The nippy weather calls for some hot soup, and I thoroughly adore a good bowl of broccoli cheese soup — it’s creamy and cozy as ever.
The best part is why eat it out of a regular bowl when you can eat it in a fresh home baked bread bowl. It’s absolutely delicious; nothing less than incredible to house your favorite soups, stews and dips with a crusty wall and super soft crumble inside. More than a bowl, it also acts as an edible cutlery to eat the soup — tear it, dip it and enjoy!
This is BEGINNER FRIENDLY, so anyone can make it.
—Ingredients—
Broccoli cheddar soup
1 small carrot, grated
1 small potato, grated
1 cup broccoli, finely chopped
2 cup vegetable/chicken broth
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh corn (optional)
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper, as needed
Bread bowl
1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
—Process—
Broccoli cheddar soup
1. Heat a medium sized pan, add the broth, carrots and potatoes. Cook until the vegetables are tender, approximately 4-5 minutes.
2. Add in the chopped broccoli and fresh corn, cook for a couple of minutes and remove from heat.
3. Heat another pan and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Saute the onion until translucent and add it to the vegetables.
4. In the same pan, add the remaining butter. Once melted, add the flour and mix well to make a roux.
5. Add 1/4 cup of milk and stir continuously in a low flame. Once thickened, add the remaining milk, salt, thyme, pepper and mix well.
6. Add the cooked vegetables and cook for a couple of minutes.
7. Remove from heat and add the cheese, mix until well combined.
Top it off with some grated cheese and serve hot!
Bread bowl
1. In a small bowl, add water, sugar and yeast. Mix until yeast is dissolved and keep it aside, for 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, add salt, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup flour and the yeast mixture, and mix. Knead (stretch and fold) the dough for 5 – 8 minutes, add the remaining flour (spoon by spoon) until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
3. First rise – apply oil or nonstick spray to sides of the bowl, cover the bowl and let it rise until doubled. It took me 50 minutes, and the time varies from place to place depending on the weather in your place.
4. Deflate the dough gently, but don’t knock out all the air. I prefer to retain some air, though. It gives nice holes in the bread. Form the dough into a round ball.
5. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper and dust with some flour. Gently place the ball onto the baking sheet, seam side down.
6. Second rise – brush the dough with melted butter, cover with a cling film, really lightly and let it rise until doubled, approximately 45-60 minutes.
7. Bake at 200°C for 25-30 minutes, or until it reaches rich golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
8. Once cooled, use a serrated knife to slice off the top. Use a spoon or your fingers to hollow out the centre of the bread bowl. Fill and enjoy!
Storage – Loosely wrap it in a paper and store for a couple of days at room temperature; store them in an airtight container and place it in the freezer for longer storage. Allow it thaw on the counter and reheat in the oven before serving.
Loavesandfishez 