Sourdough Scores & Bakes Gallery

Here is a just for fun, hodge-podge collection of pictures in my Sourdough Scores & Bakes Gallery.  I hope it gives you some inspiration! 

I have a video tutorial below the picture gallery of how to actually slash and score the bread. It shows you a ‘functional’ score which allows the steam to escape, and also the decorative score on the left.

Whether you slash or score is totally up to you.  I do one or the other depending on my mood.  If I do a slash, I usually don’t apply much rice flour and just leave the loaf a’la natural with a single slash.  But, if I do a score pattern, I’ll use some white rice flour sprinkled on top to bring out that pattern of the score.

1

Have everything ready before you start: parchment cut to size, brush, rice flour, razor blade.

2

Secure parchment with your hands & flip in one motion. Brush off excess rice flour. Sprinkle fresh.

3

For classic ear: hold blade 45d angle. Slice 1/2” deep pole to pole to the right of center.

4

For wheat: hold blade straight down, cut 1” lines 1/2” deep, do other side slightly offset.

5

The score will start to open up. Time is short. Get it into your kettle quickly. Bake.

6

Steam inside the dough rises up and escapes through the score, and not blown out the sides.

7

Ridge lines from the banneton. Wheat score offset by the rice flour. Oven spring popped up the ear!

The ‘ear’ is that ridge from the score. The crunchy strands inside the groove called ‘bloom’.

Use a sharp razor. I swap mine out after 5 uses. This is a lot easier than it looks! Give it a try.

Scoring is pretty fun. I hope you jump in & bake some bread! If you’re new, I’ll help you!

Check out my other content @afoodloverslife on Jumprope.

If you’re ready to start sourdough or are just starting to get your feet wet, you might find this recipe & technique video helpful: BEGINNER SOURDOUGH TARTINE.

Did you know that I bake at ‘high altitude’? I really should say I bake at high elevation’ because after all,  I’m not baking on an airplane. Haha. If you have questions about high elevation baking I would recommend you check out the King Arthur Flour link for their guide on baking at elevation. 

King Arthur Flour https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking