How to Score Bread Like a Pro

Mastering scoring takes a little practice, but once you do, it transforms your bread from homemade to bakery-worthy.

Scoring bread not only controls how the dough expands during baking, preventing random bursts, but also creates attractive patterns and influences the crust’s texture. The depth, angle, and placement of the slash determine how dramatically the loaf blooms in the oven.

Why Score Bread with a Bread Lame?

Scoring sourdough is both an art and a science—it controls how your bread expands in the oven (the “oven spring”) and gives it that signature artisan look. Here’s a thorough guide on how to properly score and some different techniques and styles.

Basic Bread Lame

Handcrafted Baker’s Lame by Simpel Surdej

Handcrafted Decorating Lame by Simpel Surdej

Ultra-Sharp Blades by Feather Japan


How to Score Properly

  1. Proofing: Score your dough at peak proof—slightly soft but still holds shape.
  2. Flour the Surface: Lightly dust the dough with flour to prevent sticking and highlight patterns.
  3. Angle: Hold the blade at 30–45° to the dough for a nice “ear” (the raised flap of crust).
  4. Depth: Cuts should be ½ to 1 cm deep (or roughly ¼ inch). Too shallow → no ear, too deep → collapse.
  5. Speed: Make swift, confident cuts rather than dragging or sawing.

 

Different Scoring Styles

Here are common techniques and the effects they produce:

1. Single Long Slash

  • How: One deep cut along the length of the loaf.
  • Effect: Classic baguette-style, controlled expansion along the score.

2. Cross or X

  • How: Make one slash one way, then another perpendicular.
  • Effect: Rustic, traditional boule look; allows the loaf to expand evenly in all directions.

3. Wheat or Leaf Pattern

  • How: Series of small slashes branching out like a wheat stalk.
  • Effect: Decorative; makes the loaf look artisan. Requires a sharp lame and practice.

4. Chequerboard / Diamond

  • How: Series of intersecting diagonal slashes.
  • Effect: Very striking visually, often used for larger boules or batards.

5. Snips / Tassel

  • How: Use scissors to make small snips along the top of the dough.
  • Effect: Fluffy, textured surface; creates multiple “ears” that open in baking.

6. Curved / Spiral

  • How: Score a shallow spiral or curved line around the top.
  • Effect: Modern, decorative style; can produce a nice ear along the curve.

Additional Tips

  • Cold Dough: Scoring is easier if the dough has been chilled slightly—less sticky.
  • Steam: Bake with steam for the first 10–15 minutes to help the ears expand and crust shine.
  • Practice: Start simple—one slash, then gradually experiment with more intricate designs.
  • Watch Dough Behavior: If your loaf is spreading instead of rising, try slightly shallower or shallower angled cuts next time.

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