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Boule – a Bread Bowl
Boule is French for ball, and is a traditional French shape for French bread.
It is usually made from a sour dough starter, but if you can’t be bothered with that, then it is perfectly acceptable to make it with instant yeast. I won’t tell – it will just be our secret.
The Boule, apart from being an attractive little loaf, makes a perfect edible bowl for serving thick soups and chowders.
Boule
Ingredients
- 750ml warm water
- 14g Instant Yeast
- 1½ teaspoon Salt
- 1kg Strong White Bread Flour
Directions
1. | Add the yeast to the warm water and leave for a few minutes to bloom |
2. | Add in all the flour and salt |
3. | Mix until the flour is fully incorporated. You should be left with a fairly wet and loose dough. |
4. | Allow the mixture to double in size at room temperature, (about 2 hours depending on the room's temperature and the initial water temperature). Alternatively, you can let it prove overnight in a fridge. |
5. | If you did the prove at room temp, it is a good idea at this point to refrigerate the dough for a few hours as it will be a lot easier to work with. |
6. | Grease and flour a baking tray |
7. | There is no need to knead this dough as you want to keep the air in. Just cut it into 4. |
8. | Take one of the quarters, and shape it quickly into a ball by smoothing and stretch the top with your floured hands and pushing the under itself. |
9. | Place your shaped ball onto your dusted tray and allow it to rest uncovered for 40 minutes. |
10. | Place a roasting tin in the bottom of your oven, and heat to Gas Mark 8 / 450 F / 230 C |
11. | Dust the top of your boule liberally with flour, then slash a shallow cross in the top |
12. | When you slide your bread into the centre of the oven, pour a cup of water into the roasting tray and quickly close the door to trap the steam. |
13. | Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top starts to brown and is firm to touch. |
14. | Allow to cool on a wire rack |
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