Hard Rolls (for bread bowls)

How to make it

1. 1

   Dough

   Put all the ingredients in the bowl and mix for 5 minutes on low, then 10 minutes on medium.

   · Mix to the 90% gluten stage — when you stretch the dough, a thin, translucent membrane shows.

2. 2

   1st rise

   Round the dough and let it rise at 28°C for about 40 minutes.

3. 3

   Divide & bench rest

   Press out the gas, divide the dough into 8 pieces of about 200g, round them, and give them a 15-minute bench rest.

   · 8 × 200g = 1,600g, a bread-bowl size slightly larger than the original recipe.

4. 4

   Final shaping & 2nd rise

   Round them again until the surface is taut, pan them, and let them rise at 28°C for about 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Score & bake

   Score a cross on top, mist them with water, shoot steam into the oven, and bake for 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C), then 10 minutes at 400°F (200°C).

   · For a crisper crust, turn the oven back up to 425°F (220°C) for the last 3 minutes.

6. 6

   Cool down

   Cool them thoroughly on a rack; for bread bowls, cut off the top and hollow out the inside.

   · When you hollow one out for soup, leave the wall 1.5 to 2cm thick so it does not leak.

No coming back

Things that actually went wrong over 20 years in a kitchen.

• Add all the water at once and the dough turns slack.
• Do not add all the water at once — start with 560g and adjust until the dough comes together.

You can fix this

If it hasn't burned or stuck to the pan, it can still be fixed.

• Dough can only be fixed before it goes in the oven — a little more flour if it is slack, a little more water if it is stiff. Once baked, nothing can be changed.