Making Pretty Bread-Sourdough Scoring Tips

Like most of us, sourdough became one of my new years goals. Baking most of my life, I knew I had this in the bag. However, I had not started embracing my slow lifestyle yet and didn’t have a patient bone in my body. Telling me who has lived off of instant yeast, that I had to wait until the next day was excruciating. So I did what I usually did in recipes, I didn’t listen! And you know what, my bread was awful. I’ll just let you see a little preview of what my family got that day…. It’s ok to laugh! I sure did!

With Jesus and whole lot of trial and error, I finally had a successful starter and a loaf I was proud of. While I loved working with the dough, and presenting my bread to my family, I started seeing these pretty designs and of course I had to try it! It kind of became another form of therapy for me. I enjoyed coming up with designs, gifting to my neighbors, and seeing just what I could do with bread. I am still working on things, but I want to share some tips and tricks so you can share pretty bread too. Food has a special place in my heart, and I just love that it brings people together. It doesn’t hurt that it can look beautiful too. This certainly will not be an article on how to make sourdough. There are so many wonderful recipes out there, but I hope to share some tips and tricks to take your existing sourdough to the next level!

Get some tools….

Sometimes you don’t need to buy the tools, and I am all for using what you have. However, the knife I was using wasn’t cutting it. Amazon provided everything I used, and will link what I can! You will need a lame at the very least, and I do recommend the batan or bowls to keep the dough shape! I also use craft scissor because they are really sharp, and food grade string.

Keeping starter in the fridge….

Most of the time I hear people say they don’t do sourdough because its hard to keep up. With the refrigeration method, I don’t think that is true. Once established, mine lives in the fridge. I simply pull it the night before I need it, feed it how much I will need, place it on the counter, and use it the next morning. Right after, right back to the refrigerator it goes! Simple as that. Also, do not be ashamed of asking someone for a little starter. If they are anything like me, I always have some to share, and honestly getting the starter to mature was the hardest part of making sourdough.

Work on your folding….

This took some time, but I really worked on my folding. I noticed that bread that I didn’t fold well, had a funky shape when it was cut open. So watch some videos and practice and practice again! I have a different fold for my round and long loaves.

Cold Proof…

After my final shape, I let my dough finish rising in the refrigerator until the next day. One this allows me to not rush to bake, but also the dough is firm and allows for better scoring. If I have a very intercut design, I will also pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes while I am setting up.

Draw what you want to do….

I am a visual learner, so I always draw out my bread before I decide to make any cuts. It helps I promise! You don’t want to go free willy-nilly, and cut something you don’t want. If you go to my (store), you will find some free temps I have put together for you! I have a whole journal of drawings and use them later when people have a certain style they are looking for!

Flour your loaf before you cut….

Now this may be debatable, but I don’t like regular flour anywhere near my bread that’s not mixed in. So, I only use rice flour! Do whatever you feel comfortable. Also, experiment with other powders. I have tired coco powder, and love how the color contrast turned out!Get your blade wet…

Get your blade wet….

This can be really helpful when you are working on multiple loaves, and left over sourdough sticks around on the blade. Especially after you do your deep score, because you are pushing harder and going deeper into the dough. When we work on the details like the wheat stalk, we are not pushing as hard and the top dough is different than inside! So before you score, run your blade under the water and score away!

7 Minute Score….

OK, this might be the best advice I can give. Most of my designs use the 7 minute score. All this means is I do my detail on the bread, put it in the oven, pull it out at 7 minutes, and then do the large ear score. I put it back in and finish the first bake (13 minutes because I bake for 20 minutes covered), and proceed as normal (20 minutes uncovered). Now with that being said, some of my designs don’t have a big ear, so obviously they are scored and baked as normal.

Keep Practicing….

All bread gets cut, and if you are making someone fresh bread I’m sure they will be more than  grateful. So many times I have tried a design and it didn’t work out how I thought it would, and you know what covered in butter it turned out just right. You can pushed too hard, or not hard enough, but that is truly how you learn! Just do your best, and forget the rest! This should be fun, and if it’s not, girl make a center score and enjoy your day. Until next time friends….

Keep Growing,

Whit