Crimini Mushroom Cream Soup in Bread Pot

Throughout the years, I've tried this dish several times in different restaurants. It has always been delicious and I've always wanted to prepare it at home. Serving soup in a bread pots is a perfect way to indulge yourself after winter outdoor activities. And the best part - once you're finished with the meal, there are no dishes to wash;)

I prepared the bread bowls using a bread recipe from my mom's journals, cutting the products in half to get 4 servings.

To prepare the dough, sift the flour. Add yeast and salt. Heat up water, milk and sugar together and stir until the sugar melts. Make a well and pour in olive oil, milky mixture and eggs. Save half an egg yolk to coat the bread bowls. Mix the dough. Once it pulls together, turn it into a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Coat with olive oil and place in a dry container covered with cloth. Let it rise.

When the dough doubles its size, knead again. Divide into 4 equally large portions and one small to make the handles. Shape the dough portions into bowls, add handle and place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Coat with olive oil, cover with cloth and let the bowls rise for 15-20 min. Mix the egg yolk with one tablespoon water and coat the bread bowls with the mixture. Bake in preheated to 200℃ until golden. If the pot handles burn too fast, cover them with aluminum foil. Let the baked bread pots cool of on a wire rack.

To prepare the soup, clean chop the mushrooms. Sauté the chopped onion in butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté some more. Pour in vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, add the potato cubes and cook for 20-30 min. Puree the soup in a blender and add the heavy cream.

Slice off the top of the loaves, hollow out the inside and fill the soup in the bread. Then place the lid and garnish with thyme.

Bon Appetit!