28/07/2020

Proper Bread Scoring and Its Importance

Loulis Mills_Proper Bread Scoring and Its Importance

Many believe that scoring bread dough before baking is unnecessary, but they are mistaken, since proper scoring ultimately shapes the bread’s final appearance.
After all, most people visiting a bakery choose the loaf that looks the most “beautiful,” because as the old saying goes, “we eat with our eyes first…”

When do we score bread, and why do we score it?

As we knead and shape the bread dough, its surface appears very tight.
Therefore, when we place the bread in the hot oven, the sudden exposure to high heat causes the warm air to enter the dough (a phenomenon known as “oven spring”). If the dough has not been scored beforehand, it will burst violently and irregularly. This, along with achieving an attractive final appearance, is why we score bread before baking.

The scoring patterns vary.

Useful tips for scoring bread:

  • Make sure the blade of the knife, razor, or scissors you use is very sharp.
  • It is best to score the bread after proofing (but not if it is overproofed).
  • Make quick and firm movements, but with a gentle touch — “an iron hand in a velvet glove.”
  • Let the blade do the work. Do not press down on the dough.
  • You can wet the blade with water or oil to help it glide through the dough and open more easily during scoring. This is recommended when the dough is stickier.
  • If you want to create an “ear” or make a deeper score (also applies to baguettes), hold the blade at a shallow angle — about 30 degrees above the dough surface — and cut deeply enough, around 0.6 cm.
  • If you want to carve a pattern, it is best to sketch it on paper first.
  • For difficult shapes or designs, it helps to place the loaf in the refrigerator for a few minutes after proofing. This creates a slight “skin” on the dough’s surface, making scoring easier.
  • For decorative patterns or designs, avoid cutting deeply; score only the surface lightly.

Otmar Fricker: Baking Technical Consultant at Loulis Mills

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