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Scoring (slashing) bread dough
Scoring is when you create an incision on the proofed dough before baking it with a blade or a sharp knife to allow it to expand during baking.
The purpose is primarily to control the direction in which the bread will expand during “oven spring.”
Most pan-baked bread is not scored. The pan guides the bread’s growth, while scoring is done mainly on bread considered ‘free form’ or ‘hearth’ bread.
Scoring may or may not affect the texture, but it will always impact the bread’s appearance. When a loaf of bread is scored, your chosen pattern can make a pleasing visual on the top of your bread. There are many patterns to choose from. Some bakers use a unique scoring to identify the bread they’ve baked or to create their signature. Scoring will give your bread a professional look.
It adds more than a decorative touch. The scored areas expand more, allowing gas to escape without bursting open the seam. The scoring will create a weak spot on the top of the loaf to stop it from bursting, breaking and disfiguring the bread.
On the flip side, incorrectly scoring bread can cause it to dry out or come out less than perfect. This is why you want to do it right.
How to score (slash) the dough
With a blade or a sharp knife, make lengthwise or diagonal (at a 10 to 30-degree angle) cuts 6-12 mm (¼- ½ inch) deep across the top of each loaf, leaving about 2.5 cm / 1″ uncut on each end. Never cut it entirely across the top of the loaf.
Attention: The process is done just before the loaf is put into the oven. Don’t try to change its shape or rise once the cuts are made.
Tips for successful scoring
Use a very sharp knife
The first tip for successful scoring is to use a very sharp knife. You can use a very sharp paring knife, a serrated knife, or a razor blade, or if you’re fancy, a baker’s lame to cut diagonal slashes.
Note: A lame is a special bread-baking tool, a sharp blade that gets under the dough as you cut, giving you the right shape for expansion.
The scoring is affected by the blade you use. Using the edge of sharp kitchen scissors may be better than a dull scoring blade. You want to let the knife do the scoring work and not press down on the dough with any pressure. Use the knife to make confident and swift slashes while being gentle.
It may help to wet the knife blade between the slashes, especially if your dough is sticky. Some bakers like to create an ‘ear’ with their scoring. Other tips for successful scoring include spraying your knife with oil or cooking spray before you start. This tip will make scoring easier through your dough.
The ideal angle
The angle at which the score is made and the pattern you use will influence how the loaf will expand and how the ‘ear’ will form.
The cuts on long-shaped loaves should be shallower than those on round ones so that you don’t dry them out. It is usually done parallel to the long sides of the bread though it shouldn’t be precisely perpendicular. Score it at a 10 to 30-degree angle, and never cut it entirely across the top of the loaf. Parallel cuts will create a flatter cross-section. It is more easily done with a curved blade.
The cuts should be equally spaced across the loaf if you have a round loaf. Hold the knife at a ninety-degree angle to the bread as you cut. These are called transversal cuts, best done with a straight-bladed knife.
The ideal scoring depth
Shallow cuts will result in the cut surface of the bread rising much more than a deeper cut. A very deep cut could collapse under its weight. This is why shallow cuts are used to get significant rises in the bread, especially if the cuts themselves are small.
The ideal scoring depth also depends on the dough’s condition.
The scores should be shallow for an over-proofed dough, so the bread doesn’t deflate. For the wet, sticky dough, a cut of a quarter inch (0.5cm) is better.
In under-proofed dough, deeper scoring can help it expand better. That will make up for the relative lack of volume. For the dry dough, a half-inch (1.25cm) cut is better.
The cold, firm dough is easier to score
Warm dough may be harder to score than cold, firm dough. However, the dough’s temperature doesn’t affect how deeply you should cut for the type of dough and the desired impact of the cuts. If you need to improve at scoring, this is probably because you are trying your luck on a warm piece of dough. The complicated patterns you usually see on the bread are made on the cold dough. The best thing you can do is to put it in the fridge and let it be cold. The cold dough is firm. You can score it creatively and in any specific way you want.
Draw patterns on paper
If you are trying to make patterns, draw them on paper before trying them on the dough. This will facilitate you in scoring it perfectly.
Score with confidence and without hesitation
When a baker scores their loaf, it is done with confidence and without hesitation. The scoring stroke should be decisive, smooth, firm, and quick. Slowly scoring the bread will only devastate its whole appearance.
If you are trying to score for the first time, you should perform a few practice swings to get an idea of what movements are involved because you don’t want to cut too deep. Otherwise, you’ll end up with dried-out bread or, worse, an unplanned batch of rolls.
Keep practising
As you bake more bread, you will learn. Scoring is not as simple as it sounds; it takes some time to master this. The real skill of scoring comes with lots of practice.
Attention: The process is done just before the loaf is put into the oven. Don’t try to change its shape or rise once the cuts are made.
Also check:
- Finishing the crust – glazes, washes, and toppings
- How to create an Artisan bread with a rustic crust
- Scoring (slashing) bread dough
- How to make a crispy and crunchy crust?
- How to make bread with a soft crust
- Everything You Need to Know to Start Baking Awesome Bread Using a Bread Maker
- Fast2eat Bread Recipes
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