With bread scoring, easily transform any bread into a work of art. Bread scoring involves simply cutting the dough mass that is about to be baked. It is commonly applied to products such as white bread or sourdough boules (bread that is yeast-free, with entirely natural fermentation).
We will provide you with the best techniques for scoring your bread.
Table of Contents:
Why score the bread dough?
One way to distinguish bread baked by a professional from bread baked by a beginner baker is scoring. Bread scoring involves making shallow cuts on the top of the raw bread dough just before baking. The result, when taken out of the oven, can range from a simple curved ridge to an elaborate design.
Bread slashing (these razor cuts given on the top of the dough pieces before baking) is not just decorative. It plays a functional role of a “chimney” during baking. During baking, the water in the dough turns into steam and the CO2 generated during the final fermentation must escape. These slashes help to evacuate the steam and directly impact the bread’s structure, resulting in a airy crumb and uniform volume.
What tools for bread scoring?
Professional bakers use a bread lame, which is essentially a straight or curved razor blade attached to a short handle. Straight blades create straight cuts as the dough expands, while curved blades produce almond-shaped cuts. A well-sharpened kitchen knife can also work, but generally, a dedicated bread lame will yield better results.
There are several ways to score bread:
- Classic cut: Also known as the Parisian cut, this method involves making overlapping straight incisions of medium size along the axis of the dough.
- Sausage cut: This method involves making parallel incisions across the width of the bread and closely spaced with a vertically held blade.Polka dot cut: This method involves making grid-like incisions, i.e., transversely from right to left and left to right. This technique is mainly used for round loaves.Personal cut: You can also make cuts according to your preferences and the desired result.
Preparing the dough for successful scoring
It is essential to prepare the dough well before scoring. By dusting the tops of your loaves with flour before scoring, you will achieve maximum contrast between the white flour and the dark, baked crust.
First, take your dough out of the fermentation basket. Then, using a fine-mesh sieve, sprinkle the top of the dough while moving to obtain a uniform result. You can now proceed to score. To do this, wet your blade with water or spray it with oil to get smooth cuts rather than rough ones, especially if the dough is sticky. Once your bread is scored, bake it immediately, as it might deflate if left exposed.
What is the right depth to cut through the dough?
To get a perfect result, the depth of the cut should be about one to half a centimeter. The penetration angle influences the final appearance. If the slashing is vertical, your bread will not be ruined, but it will have a basic, “homemade” look. For a much more professional appearance, tilt your blade at a 45-degree angle to obtain beautiful, crispy, and appetizing ridges. The motion should be swift and fast to prevent the dough from sticking to the blade.
Sil’tip Bread Scoring Tools by Maé Innovation: Customize Your Bread Easily
Want to stand out with an original bread score? Discover our range of Sil’tip bread scoring tools.
Highly useful for distinguishing yourself from the competition, this invention was patented by Maé Innovation with the collaboration of Gilles Sicart. We offer 8 standard markings for your bread: Organic, AB (organic agriculture), Smiley, B, Grid, Wheat Spikes, football, and rugby ball.
We also offer the creation of custom bread scoring tools: with your logo, your brand, or any other design.
Discover the different methods of using our Sil’tip – bread scoring tools:
