![]() Continue with the cut and things will typically smooth out in the bake. If the blade drags against the dough, don’t fret. I hold the blade lightly between my fingers, but in a firmly locked hand, and move with a single, smooth cutting motion. How we score partly depends on how the dough is positioned in front of us: if the dough is horizontal to the body it may be easier for us to cut away, and conversely, if it’s vertical (as mine always is) cutting inward might be a better choice.Īs a general rule, it’s best to have a speedy, sure hand when scoring. However, as with many things in baking, there are no steadfast rules and each baker should experiment and decide what feels and works best.įor example, some bakers prefer to score with the cutting side of the blade angled away from the body, whereas others (myself included) prefer to score so the blade cuts inward toward the body. In this post, we’ll talk about several dough-scoring implements, the strengths of each, and what type of dough warrants their use. King Arthur has a video on how to slash a baguette, but there are many other approaches, several of which we'll tackle in this article. Regardless of the scoring choice, the goal is to guide the dough into rising predictably, consistently, and optimally. Some bakers opt for a single, long slash (my favorite), whereas others prefer lots of small slashes that together form a beautiful, artistic design. Scoring bread dough is yet another part of the baking process where we can each leave our own individual touch on the final baked loaf. ![]() We sometimes desire this type of ragged opening, but if you want the optimal height in a controlled and consistent manner, scoring is the way to go. ![]() Without this step, dough can open in unexpected areas and in a rather chaotic manner. Most bread bakers score the dough with a blade (or lame) to create a weak point and direct the rapid expansion. The weakest spots in the dough's surface - whether intentional or accidental- will give way and crack open. ![]() Through this rapid production of gasses, the dough is forced to spring up and push against the taut surface created during shaping. When we load dough into the oven, the intense heat causes it to rise rapidly by expediting the fermentation process. But aesthetics aside, there’s also an important purpose to cutting - or scoring - bread dough before it’s baked. Included with the lame are 5 razor blades.Our eyes are drawn to beautiful loaves of bread with their dramatic “ear” from across the surface or intricate pattern on top. The handle is made of hard plastic resin with a stainless steel strip to hold the razor blade. Since you’re only cutting with one corner of the blade at a time and the blade can easily be rotated, you get maximum life out of each blade. It uses inexpensive replaceable double edge blades which makes it both economical and ecological. Our lame’s easy grip handle allows for steady control and accurate cutting. This may sound funny, but one popular model on the market is so small and thin as to be nearly invisible when set down, is difficult to pick up barehanded and almost impossible to use while wearing protective oven gloves. It’s designed to be easy to see and pick up. ![]() So we made our own.We believe our bread lame is an excellent balance of form, function and price. We also wanted to carry a lame that was reasonably priced. To work well, the blade needs to be extremely sharp, so a replaceable blade was a necessary feature of an acceptable lame. They were either over priced or disposable. We have not carried a bread lame prior to this one because we were unable to find one that we liked. A Lame (pronounced LAHM, meaning “blade” in French) is typically a long thin stick made to hold a metal razor used to cut, or score, bread dough to help control the expansion of the loaf as it bakes. ![]()
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