When do you slash bread

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Bread dough is scored or slashed before baking to break the outer skin of the dough and allow it to rise up further as it bakes in the oven and without it bursting in the wrong places such as the sides. Scoring it also improves the look of the bread and helps to create more crust texture. It can be done with a tool called a bread lame or a knife. Read on to find out more about everything you need to know about scoring dough, including; why we score or slash bread dough, easy scoring tips, techniques and patterns along with which pattern you should use for each bread type shape.

Scoring bread can be as simple or complex as you want to make it, the important thing is to do what you feel comfortable with and to perform each cut with confidence. Bread dough is best scored with either a bread lame, a small serrated knife or a bread knife. The dough should be scored after it has been shaped and proved for the second time.

The oven will need to be pre-heated and up to temperature when you score the bread so it can be baked straight away. If there is slight deflation following scoring it will not harm the dough to let it recover for 15 minutes before baking — providing the yeast is still fermenting.

A bread lame is a type of serrated razor with a handle, some have rounded edges and some straight. A lame is also good for controlling the depth of the score and for creating a rounded line, whereas a knife is really just good for straight lines.

You can buy bread lames directly from Amazon and other online specialist baking stores. You want to make sure that you avoid sticking as much as possible when it comes to scoring bread. For this reason, it can be useful to add a little something to help prevent the blade from sticking to the dough. The easiest thing you can do is coat your blade in cooking spray and quickly score the dough. Cooking spray is easy to apply and does a great job.

One thing that has a big effect on how well you score your dough is how confident you are with it. Instead of pushing into the dough, try allowing the blade to do the work and you should notice that the scoring is easier. Proofing your dough in the fridge comes with so many benefits, so it should be no surprise to you that it can also make for easier scoring.