How To Score Bread - Breadtopia

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Why are artisan-style loaves of bread scored?

Dough tends to rise quite a bit in the oven, especially when it’s not enriched with milk, sugar, oil, and eggs. The heat of the oven expands existing air bubbles in the dough and causes even more bubbles to be produced. This rapid expansion is called “oven spring” and the force of it often breaks open the crust as it’s forming. Random rupture of the crust can be quite beautiful, and it is actually the traditional style in whole rye breads and broa de milho (see first photo in the gallery below). However, in most artisan-style, strong-gluten loaves, people prefer to direct the oven spring by cutting or “scoring” the surface of the dough with a razor secured in a holder — a lame — just before putting it into the oven.

No scoring in a dough with low gluten strength

Single deep cut

Single deep cut, plus decorative smaller cuts

Several large cuts, plus smaller cuts

Many large cuts

Flax

What kind of score should I do?

The characteristics of the dough and your goals for the final appearance both need to factor into what kind of score you pick. The strength of the gluten in a dough, how hydrated it is, and how far you carry the final proof all influence how much a dough will open or “bloom” along its cuts.

High gluten, dry, or underproofed dough often have large oven spring. Large cuts can absorb this force by themselves and paired with a decorative design of small cuts e.g. one deep slash and a shallow series of cuts in the shape of a wheat stalk. If you do an intricate pattern without a deep cut, you will likely see your pattern burst open in irregular ways.
Low gluten, wet, or overproofed dough often have less oven spring. You can still choose to do a large cut in these doughs, but because they lack explosive force, you can also score them with small and shallow cuts, often in intricate patterns.
Seed- or oat-covered surfaces are difficult to score with a blade and often do best with scissor cuts.

Boule Scoring Patterns Batard Scoring Patterns

What are some tips and tricks to scoring? (See the videos and gallery below too)

If you’re new to scoring or if you’re doing something complicated, use parchment paper. Flip your dough out of the proofing basket and onto parchment paper rather than the base of your baking vessel. This way you can score without rushing or worrying about burning your hands.
Tracing lines into your dough with string can help mark evenly spaced sections when you’re doing an intricate pattern.
It is easier to score the dough’s surface when it’s dryer and cooler. Consider chilling your dough at the end of the final proof, and then flouring the surface after you’ve flipped it onto parchment paper, especially if you’re doing an intricate score.
If you want a brown crust rather than a floured crust, you can brush water on your dough after you score it. This will remove excess flour and help steam the crust.
A large cut down the center of a loaf is often at a 90° angle to the dough’s surface and this produces a “belly.” Cuts for something like a grid pattern or a square of slashes are also usually done straight into the dough.
A large cut off-center of a loaf is often at a 35-45° angle to the dough’s surface and this produces an “ear.” You can run your blade under the top edge of the cut to enhance the peeled-back nature of the ear.
Another fun way to decorate your bread crust is with stencils. After applying the stencil, make a large score to absorb the oven spring.