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Polish Bread Bowl Recipe – Miska Chlebowa

Name: Polish Bread Bowl Recipe - Miska Chlebowa
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 5 cups (600g) of all-purpose flour; 1 cup of warm water; 3 tbsps of instant yeast; 2 tsps of salt; 1 tsp of sugar; egg white

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Ever heard of an edible bowl? The Polish bread bowl is a tasty treat that is made into a bowl shape and then baked.

The bread bowl however was a French invention. This should not come as a surprise because the French love their bread almost as much as the Polish do. The French call this the ‘bread boule’ or ‘ball’ which is in reference to its shape.

The Polish bread bowl offers people a unique way to serve soup and stews in. While some may say that the bowl is decorative, it actually serves a very practical purpose since bread rolls are often paired with these items of food.

One of the really nice things about serving a soup in the Polish bread bowl is that while the inside soaks up the flavor, the outer crust of the bread still remains crisp.

You will find that they are very popular in winter because the bread bowl is served hot and so is the soup. It forms a great meal when you come home from the cold outdoors. This is especially true in Poland where the winters can get frigid.

Polish Bread Bowl Recipe – Miska Chlebowa

Part I – Knead The Dough For 5 Minutes

Use a large mixing bowl. Add 5 cups of all purpose flour, 3 tbsps. of instant yeast, 2 tsps. of salt and 1 tsp. of sugar to the bowl. Mix the ingredients together so that they mix well with the all purpose flour. Add in 1 cup of warm water and knead the dough. You can use your hands or a food processor to knead the dough.

Part II – Cover The Bowl With A Clean Kitchen Cloth

Place the dough in the center of a large bowl. The bowl should be large enough for double the dough to fit in. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen cloth. This will prevent the dough from drying. Now set the bowl aside in a warm place for it to rise.

This part takes around an hour or till the dough doubles in size.

Part III – Place The Dough On A Flat Floured Surface

In order to shape the dough, you will need a nice flat floured surface. The flour will prevent the dough from sticking. Place the dough on the floured surface.

Part IV – Leave 2 Little Pieces Of The Dough For Later.

Part V – Divide The Dough Into 2 Pieces

Part VI – Shape The Dough

Starting on one side of the dough, stretch the dough outward. Fold the stretched out dough over toward the center. Repeat on the other side. Follow the same technique for the bottom to the center and the top to the center. This will give you a nice smooth surface on the bread bowl.

Part VI – Flip The Bread Over.

Once you are done, flip the bread over and place it on a baking tray that is lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper prevents the dough from sticking to the baking tray and burning. It also makes cleaning the tray easier after baking.

Part VII – Repeat The Process With The Second Part Of The Dough

Part VIII – Make Little Holders On Top Of Each Bread.

Remember the dough that had been set aside? Use those two small pieces of dough to make little holders. Place one on top of each bread. Use water in order to stick it to the bread.

Part IX – Cover The bread With A Clean Kitchen Cloth

After shaping the dough, cover them with a clean kitchen cloth. Wait for 20 minutes for the dough to rise. This can be done while you preheat the oven.

Part X – Preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C).

Part XI – Bake For 25 Minutes And Allow To Cool.

Part XII – Cut Off The Top Of The Bread

When the bread is cooled off, cut off the top of the bread. The top (along with the holder) will serve as the lid of the bowl.

Cut off the top of the Polish bread bowl.

Part XIII – Scoop The Center Of The Bread.

Gently scoop out the center of the bread. Do not dig too deep or you could crack the crust.

Part XIV – Brush The Bread Bowls With Egg White

Part XV – Bake for 15 minutes at 356°F (180°C)

Polish Bread Bowl Recipe Frequently Asked Questions

What Soups Can You Serve With Polish Bread Bowls?

As mentioned before, the Polish bread bowl pairs well with almost any kind of soup. Here are some Polish soup recipes that you can try,

Why Are Polish Bread Bowls Baked A Second Time?

If you coat the bowls with egg wash and bake them, they get a thicker crust which prevents them from leaking. This is why it is preferable to bake them a second time.

Another perk is that you get to serve them hot. If you bake them only once, you have to wait till they cool to slice the Polish bread bowls and hollow the inside.

Are Polish Bread Bowls Vegan?

Polish bread bowls are not vegan because of the egg wash used at the end. You can however skip the egg wash and the second round of baking if you want vegan bread bowls.

Yield: 2 bowls

Polish Bread Bowl Recipe - Miska Chlebowa

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

5 cups (600g) of all-purpose flour
1 cup of warm water
3 tbsps of instant yeast
2 tsps of salt
1 tsp of sugar

Others

egg white

Instructions

Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Do it in a bowl using your hands or on a food processor.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen cloth and wait for about 1 hour for the dough to double its size.
Place the dough on a flat, floured surface.
Leave 2 little pieces of the dough for later (they will be the holders of the bread lids)
Divide the remaining dough into 2 pieces and start forming the bread.
Starting on one side, stretch the dough outward, and fold it over toward the center.
Repeat on the other side.
Stretch and fold the dough from the bottom to the center.
Repeat at the top.
Flip the bread over and transfer it to the baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Repeat the process with the second part of the dough.
Stick the little holders on top of each breads. Use water for that.
Cover the breads with a clean kitchen cloth and wait for 20 minutes for them to grow.
Preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C).
Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool.
When the breads are completely cold, cut off the top of them (that will be the lids of the bowls).
Scoop out the center of the breads.
Brush the bread bowls with egg white.
Bake for 15 minutes at 356°F (180°C).