Sourdough Bread SCORING Techniques | Bread Scoring PATTERNS & DESIGNS

Summary

In this video, Sune, a passionate food enthusiast, demonstrates 12 beautiful scoring designs for sourdough bread. He explains why scoring is essential for creating weak points that enhance oven spring and texture. The tutorial covers 6 designs for boules and 6 for bâtards, including simple scores like the cross and complex artistic cuts like the wheat stalk. Sune shares tips on handling dough for the best results and offers templates for practice. With clear steps and visual guidance, viewers are encouraged to perfect their bread scoring techniques.

Takeaways

• 🍞 Sune demonstrates 12 different sourdough scoring designs to improve the look and texture of bread.
• 🔪 Scoring creates weak points in the dough that allow the bread to expand, enhancing oven spring and crumb texture.
• 🖌️ Aesthetics are a key reason for scoring, giving the bread a professional appearance.
• 📜 Sune provides links to inexpensive tools, like lames, and offers downloadable templates for practice.
• 🔄 Turning the dough while scoring helps ensure clean, accurate cuts, which can be done using a turntable or peel.
• 🔧 The first score shown is the cross, a simple design where the blade is held straight down, and the dough is cut twice at 90 degrees.
• 🍃 The diamond crosshatch and leaf cut are more complex, giving the bread beautiful patterns when baked.
• 🎨 Artistic scores, like the spiral or wheat stalk design, add creative flair and can be practiced with templates.
• 🍂 Tips include ensuring well-developed gluten, using rice flour for clear scoring patterns, and retarding dough for the best shape.
• 🎬 The video includes tips on how to handle and proof dough for successful scoring and optimal oven spring.

Q & A

What is the purpose of scoring sourdough bread?

Scoring sourdough bread creates a weak point in the gluten network, allowing the bread to expand during baking, which results in better oven spring, an airy crumb texture with large holes, and an aesthetically pleasing look.

Why is oven spring important in sourdough baking?

Oven spring is crucial because it helps the bread expand during baking, which contributes to a more airy texture and better crumb structure, allowing the bread to develop the desired large holes.

What is the main tool required for scoring bread, and why is it important?

The main tool for scoring bread is a lame, which is a sharp razor blade. It is essential because it allows for precise cuts in the dough, helping to control how the bread expands in the oven.

How can you correct a score if it isn’t deep enough or not perfect?

If a score isn’t deep enough or perfect, you can go over it again to make sure the cut is complete and even, ensuring the dough will open up properly in the oven.

What are some tips for handling the dough before scoring?

To handle the dough properly, ensure that the gluten is well-developed by performing a windowpane test, shape the dough tightly for a strong gluten network, and retard the dough in a banneton to maintain its shape before baking.

What is a common scoring design for boules, and how is it done?

One common scoring design for boules is the cross, which is created by cutting straight down from the top to the bottom of the dough, then turning the dough 90 degrees and repeating the process.

How does the 'diamond crosshatch' score differ from the 'cross' score?

The 'diamond crosshatch' score involves scoring a series of parallel lines on the dough, then turning the dough about 30 degrees and scoring more parallel lines, creating a diamond pattern, which opens up beautifully when baked.

What is a 'leaf cut,' and how does it affect the appearance of the bread?

A 'leaf cut' involves scoring four parallel lines on one side of the dough and then mirroring the design on the other side. When baked, the bread resembles a leaf, giving it a simple yet elegant appearance.

What is a bâtard, and how does scoring differ from scoring boules?

A bâtard is a cigar-shaped loaf, and its scoring often focuses on designs like diagonal or straight lines along the length of the bread. These scores help the bread expand in a controlled manner, often producing a more classic, French bread appearance.

Why is it important to score the bread quickly before baking?

Once the bread is scored, the gluten network is punctured, and the dough can begin to deflate quickly. Therefore, it is important to get the dough into the oven immediately after scoring to prevent loss of structure and volume.