ARTISAN BREAD 101: All About Scoring

Get ready to score on your next bake day and savor that first bite of your toasty, freshly baked bread. The secret to bread that tastes as good as it looks? Scoring!

Scoring by Hatice Öncel

Scoring is making shallow cuts on your dough to allow it to expand while baking. Known as “oven spring”, the intense heat from the oven causes the dough to rise and expand leaving ruptures along its weak spots. These ruptures occur anywhere in the bread, affecting its texture and overall look. 

Scoring the dough lets you control where ruptures occur so the gas can escape without causing damage on your bread. Scoring also allows you to add a decorative touch to your loaf for that rustic, artisan look. Most bakers go for a single slash for that minimal look, while others go the extra mile by creating distinct patterns on their dough.. 

Tools for scoring bread

1. Razor Blade - You can use a double-edged blade which is thinner and sharper than a single-edged one. Remember to be extra cautious when using a razor blade so you won’t cut your fingers!
   
   
2. Scissors - If you don’t have a double-edged blade, you can use your good ol’ kitchen scissors to snip around your dough to give your homemade fresh bread your signature artisanal look.
   
   
3. Lame - Pronounced as ‘lahm’, this tool is used to slash the dough to control expansion and to give it a homemade, artisan look. A curved blade is attached to a wooden handle to give you more control over slashing your dough (and without cutting yourself, too!)

Along with a bread proofing basket, a Superbaking set includes a detachable, double sided, super sharp scoring lame with a stainless steel body with a wooden handle. The set also includes a protective lame case made from faux leather and complementary steel blades. 

Score the perfect score with these tips below:

Make sure your blade is very sharp. A sharp blade will give you that smooth, precise cut in one go. Using a dull blade can leave your dough with rough, ragged cuts. It’s best to have steady hands when scoring for that clean cut. 

Let your blade do the work and watch it do its magic. Give it a try, you can dough it!

Let your dough chill. Literally. Warm dough can sometimes have a sticky texture making scoring more challenging. Cold dough has the right firmness and surface making scoring a breeze. 

Another tip is to wet the blade with water or oil in between cuts to give you that smooth glide. 

Practice, practice, practice! As with all things, practice makes perfect (or at least, precise) when it comes to scoring. Start with the basic single slash before taking on intricate patterns. 

Some bakes even swear by drawing patterns on a paper towel or a wax paper before scoring their dough. 

Invest in scoring tools. While your everyday kitchen knife or scissors can do the job, investing in a scoring lame lets you do the job in half the time. 

For your everyday baking needs, Superbaking bread basket kit is your baking buddy in a box. Made from food-safe, premium quality materials, each kit comes with:

• 1 Banneton Basket made from 100% chemical-free, grade A rattan
• Rust-free, stainless steel metal dough scraper
• Food-safe polypropylene plastic scraper
• Detachable, double-sided, super sharp stainless steel scoring lame with wooden handle
• Stainless steel dough whisk with ergonomic wooden handle
• Protective lame case made from faux leather
• Plastic brush with compact bristles keep the basket free from scratches
• Linen Liner Cloth made from 100% natural, food-safe linen cotton fabric

Score your own Superbaking bread basket kit and become a super baker today.