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rcoplen's picture
rcoplen

Just put multigrain bread in oven that proofed over top of pan. When I checked 30 min later, bread had fallen and was BELOW pan top! What happened?

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Today I was on a mission.  To defeat this fear of developing and shaping rye dough.  I learn best through video and photos and I have found that there are not nearly as many video tutorials for rye breads as there are for white breads.  I used a 40% formula and followed all that I have learned on this site as much as possible.  My last week's attempt came up short with little rise/oven spring.  This time, a combination of longer bulk ferment and proof times, along with an amazing organic medium rye flour from a local mill, produced loaves that I am finally happy with.  Not to mention Dumbo sized ears that I have never achieved before.  Flavour is lightly rye, with a definite sour tang.

Shaping was done in air with wet hands, and proofed in brotforms for almost 2 hours at 78 degrees.

Crumb shot a day later.  Any suggestions/comments on the crumb from the rye experts out there? 

mwilson's picture
mwilson

For a few weeks now I have been maintaining my typical Italian style sourdough, experimenting, trying to increase the pH level at it's maturity. I've managed to go from 4.1 - 4.6.
Depending on which schooling of Italian sourdough you follow, methods and guidelines vary slightly. But according to one source optimum pH at maturity is 4.5 but can vary between 4.3-4.8.

Lately I have taken to the method of keeping this sourdough in cold water over the tied in cloth method. But I still use both to keep the acidity under control.


Under pressure - Natural yeast wrapped and tied


Naturally leavened white bread

 

Panettone by Iginio Massari

 

Colomba Pasquale by Achille Zoia


 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

 

What is scoring?

Scoring” is the word used to describe the cuts made in a loaf of bread before it is baked. Some breads are not scored. For example many loaves baked in pans are not. However, almost all free-formed “hearth breads” are scored.

When is scoring done?

Scoring is generally performed just prior to loading the loaves in the oven. French rye breads (pains de siegle) are sometimes scored right after shaping, before proofing.

Why are breads scored?

Intentionally creating a weak spot on the surface of the loaf prevents the loaf from bursting at weak spots created during shaping.

The type of scoring performed controls the direction in which the bread will expand during “oven spring.”

The pattern of cuts made, the angle at which they are made and the depth of the cuts influences the rate of expansion and the formation of an “ear” - a raised flap of crust at the edge of a cut.

The pattern of cuts can create a pleasing visual pattern on the surface of the loaf. While there are some very traditional patterns, for example for baguettes, the baker can use the scoring pattern to identify the type of bread or to create an unique pattern that identifies the loaf as coming from his or her oven.

The effects of scoring on loaf shape are discussed in more detail below.

What do you use to score bread?

The blade used to score bread is often referred to as a lame (pronounced “lahm.”) This is simply a French word with means “blade.” Breads may be scored with straight or curved razor blades, either held in the hand or mounted on a handle. Scoring may be performed with other sharp, straight blades, even with a straight razor. Some bakers prefer serrated blades.

For some types of scoring, a straight blade is preferred. Straight bladed knives are preferred for cuts made with the blade held perpendicular to the loaf's surface. This sort of cut is generally used for round loaves (“boules”). For other types of scoring, a curved blade works better. Curved lames are generally used for long breads like baguettes which are scored with cuts parallel to the long axis of the loaf.

Video on Choosing a Blade: http://youtu.be/vF7eFluzHXc

How are the cuts made?

The scoring stroke should be firm, rapid, smooth and decisive. For the beginner, it may help to take “practice swings” or to visualize the movements and totally focus one's attention before making the cuts. Understanding the functions of scoring and the effects of the variables described can help, but there is no substitute for experience. In this respect, scoring bread is no different from an athletic skill or any other art or craft. (Tourist: “Please, sir, can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?” New Yorker: “Practice, practice, practice.”)

The cuts should generally be 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. A wet, sticky dough requires a more shallow cut than one would make in a dryer dough.

Scoring a boule (round loaf)

The angle the blade of the knife makes with the surface of the loaf is important in determining how the cut will open up. If you want the cuts to spread equally from the cut and to open quickly, as is traditional with round loaves (boules), the knife should be held vertically – at 90 degrees to the surface of the loaf.

Video on Scoring a Boule: http://youtu.be/gnL7mvR9wFg


Besides the “tic-tac-toe” pattern, boules can be scored with diamond patterns, simple crosses or much more elaborate and creative patterns.

Miche scored with a diamond pattern

Scoring a long loaf (bâtard)

If you want the cuts to spread more slowly and create an “ear,” as is generally desired with long loaves (baguettes and bâtards), the knife blade should be held at a shallow angle with the surface of the loaf, at about 20-30 degrees or so. Many find using a curved blade helps make this type of cut. The blade is held with the concave surface facing up (away from the loaf). A flap of dough is created that will lift up to create an “ear” as the loaf expands and, by lifting gradually, slows the expansion of the loaf. This prolongs the time during which new areas of dough are exposed to the direct heat of the oven and results in greater overall expansion – a larger “bloom.”

Video on Scoring a Bâtard: http://youtu.be/UC5HLCWAyMo

 

Bâtards

 

Baguettes

The effect of scoring on loaf shape

Michael Suas, in his book "Advanced Bread & Pastry," provides some information about how scoring patterns influence loaf shape. Scoring is not just to make a visually pretty design on the top of a loaf. It is also how the baker controls the direction in which the loaf expands. This impacts the shape of the loaf cross section (rounder or more oval), the height of the loaf and, for a boule, whether it stays round or ends up more oblong.

According to Suas, long loaves like bâtards and baguettes are traditionally scored parallel to their long axis. This may be a single long cut or multiple cuts that are almost parallel and overlap somewhat (for ¼ to 1/3 of their length, generally). This pattern promotes sideways expansion of the loaf, resulting in an oval cross section when the loaf is sliced.

 

Baguette showing overlapping cuts, almost parallel to the long axis of the loaf

For breads with high-rye content which have lower gluten and less oven spring, the traditional objective is to encourage a higher rise in the oven spring resulting in a rounder cross section. This is achieved by "sausage" or "chevron" cuts.

"Sausage cut" on the left. "Chevron cut" on the right.

Boules are scored in a variety of patterns with differing effects on how the loaf expands. The common "tic-tac-toe" pattern and a simple cross will direct the expansion upward. More complex patterns like diamonds result in a relatively flatter loaf.

One of most interesting effects is that scoring a boule with multiple parallel cuts encourages expansion at a right angle to the cuts. This results in an oblong loaf shape.

 Two boules scored differently. Note the effects of the scoring pattern on the final shape of the baked loaves.

What's the point of an ear? Controlled bloom!

This topic is not about the auricular anatomy of elves (or Vulcans). It's about scoring breads.

Scoring loaves creates a visually pleasing pattern, and it helps control the expansion of the loaf as it bakes.

What Suas called "the classic cut" is parallel to the long axis of a baguette or a bâtard. The cut is made with the blade at a shallow angle to the surface of the loaf. The cut should be shallow - about 1/4 inch deep. Paradoxically, this shallow cut results in the flap lifting better than a deeper cut would, thus forming a nice "ear." Hamelman (pg. 80) points out that "a deep cut will simply collapse from its own weight."

The angle of the blade is important. "If the angle is not achieved and the cut is done with the blade vertical to the loaf, the two sides of the dough will spread very quickly during oven spring and expose an enormous surface area to the heat. The crust will begin to form too soon - sometimes before the end of oven spring - penalizing the development of the bread. If the cut is properly horizontal, the sides of the loaf will spread slower. The layer of dough created by the incision will partially and temporarily protect the surface from the heat and encourage a better oven spring and development." (Suas, pg. 116.)

These photos illustrate nice "ears," but they also show that the bloom occurred slowly, as it should. Notice that the color of the crust in the opening has 3 distinct degrees of browning, decreasing from right to left. The darker part on the right obviously opened first and was exposed to the direct heat of the oven for longer. If the bloom occurred too rapidly, it would have a more even coloration.

In summary, in order to achieve an optimal bloom in baguettes and bâtards, one must attend to 3 variables when scoring them:

  1. The cuts should be almost parallel to the long axis of the loaf.

  2. The blade should be held at about a 30 degree angle to the surface of the loaf.

  3. The depth of the cut should be shallow - about 1/4 inch.

Variable shading of the bloomed crust confirms that the desired slow but prolonged opening of the cut during oven spring occurred.

A final word

This tutorial focused on the mechanics of scoring, but the other steps in bread making impact the behavior of the cuts you make and the final appearance of your loaves. In fact, every single step, from your choice of ingredients and their proportions – your formula – to how you steam your oven plays a role in how your cuts will open. Your best looking loaves will result from a series of choices that are mutually dependent, where how you score a loaf takes into account the other choices you have made about the formula, mixing, fermentation, shaping, proofing and baking.

Happy baking!

David

bakingbadly's picture
bakingbadly

Pound, pound, pound 'til the wheat berries were ground. Bounded by a creed to heed to the flavours of the grain, I pained and maimed my fingers, arms, and shoulders.

After nearly an hour of mortar-ing and pestle-ing, the seeds bled a fine sand of flour, blotched with bits and grits of bran and germ. And what did my efforts amount to? Just twenty-eight grams (or one ounce) of freshly ground flour.

And that's why grain mills exist.

 

Based on Peter Reinhart's "Transitional Country Hearth Bread" recipe from his book Whole Grain Breads, the above loaf contained a set of firsts

  • My first time shaping a dough into a batard
  • My first time incorporating freshly ground flour into dough (albeit only 3% of total flour weight)
  • My first time converting my former rye starter to a white starter
  • My first time boldly baking a loaf until lightly charred

Look at those blisters, like bubbles in boiling water. Some of you may find this mesmerising. Others may think my loaf had succumbed to an illness---bread pox maybe?

 

Hoping that two parallel ears would form, I scored two cuts along the length of the dough. As you can see, it didn't turn out as expected. Perhaps my incisions weren't deep enough. Or perhaps my slashes weren't properly angled. Or perhaps both. 

 

Well, that ain't right...

I was aiming for a slightly open crumb but what I got, it seems, was a tunneling effect. Was this the result of poor shaping or gluten degradation? I don't know, really. Moreover, the bottom crust was thin and pale brown. Evidentally, my baking stones (i.e., unglazed clay tiles) weren't hot enough.

The flavour profile:

After being cooled for more than twelve hours, the loaf had permeated my room with a deep, complex, and wheaty aroma. After sinking my teeth into the flesh of the bread---pleasantly chewy and slightly moist---I became grossly bewildered; my taste buds registered subtle sweetness and mild nuttiness. How was this possible, I pondered. This bread wasn't contaminated with sugar or nuts. Was it the freshly ground flour? Yes, it had to be!

As I chewed, savoury toastiness and a tinge of bitterness progressively unveiled itself, likely caused by the scorched crust. But wait, where was the tang? Reflecting on my past actions, I faulted my overfed starter and one hour bulk fermentation for the lack of piquancy.

All in all, it was a good loaf. Just a lil' more practice and I can perk up the flavours a notch or two.

:) Thanks for reading my post. Have a happy baking and wish you all the best,

Zita

P.S. Please feel free to input your tips and suggestions. It'd be much appreciated. Thank you in advance! 

 

linder's picture
linder

In keeping with my practice and hopeful improvement, I baked some more of David Snyder's SF Sourdough(using the 4th iteration of the formula).  Today, I got some great oven spring on the batard even with my awful scoring -

Here's the bread after its bake with steam in the oven -

Blueladder's picture
Blueladder

Hi Everybody,

It's about eight weeks since I posted my easy white bread recipe - thanks for all your help and suggestions with that!!!  I put your link on Squidoo saying how great you are and people have been clicking out so I hope you got some new members?!

I've now, after holding off for about twenty years!!! (and eight weeks) had a couple of goes at croissants and been delighted with the result.  I got the confidence after making so much ordinary bread - and when I paid an extortionate amount for a croissant at 4am at an airport when I missed my flight!!

However... even though I've read loads and tried to incorporate everything in my recipe - and they taste heavenly!!  I'm sure there are things you could improve!  So if any of you guys (and gals!) could have a look and give me some tips that would be awsome!!!

My aim is to help people save money and reconnect with their food - if you've made it you know what's in it!

Here's the link: Homemade Bread: Croissant Recipe.

evening's picture
evening

I tried my hand at the 25% whole wheat recipe

Bread Flour: 375g, WW Flour: 125g, 370g water, 7g salt, 2.5g instant yeast.

The poolish was just bread flour and water and a little yeast.

I did 3 folds@ 20 minute intervals and left it to  bulk ferment in the fridge for 12 hours, then let it proof for 75 minutes in my new bread form.

I preheated the oven to 475, then turned it down to 425 once the loaf was in. 20 min in the DO, and 20 more on the stone. internal temp was 207F when I took it out.

The boule slipped on it's way into the DO so I ended up with a lop-sided design.

Despite trying the DO to stone technique the bottom still scorched.  I'll have to experiment more with oven temp and time in the DO. Fortunately it's a very thin layer.

The crumb was decent but I'd like to see it more open -  It tasted great though.

Lastly, here's a pic of the interior of a fruited ciabatta roll that I made using the Jason's quick recipe and a berry mix.

Very festive. It made an excellent vehicle for ham and melted brie. 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I've been working on the requested update of the Scoring Tutorial. I was expressely asked to use "real" bread, instead of the dishtowels I used to demonstrate the use of a transfer peel. I made a batch of my San Frandisco-style Sourdough for this purpose. So, after finishing the third video for the new tutorial (one more to go), I had to dispose of my instructional materials. 

No expressions of sympathy are called for I assure you.

A nice crab salad and Anderson Valley Chardonney complemented the bread quite nicely.

David

greedybread's picture
greedybread

Easy Peasy Pane Tramvai….

If you are like me and LOVE fruit breads, you will love love love love and LOVE this bread!!

Plus it’s not an all day or week bread and it’s not time-consuming……..

And there are so many variations you could do with this recipe which i WILL rattle on about at the end of the post.

I must say, thinking about what we could do with this lovely base recipe is divine..

Of course we would need to rename the bread though…

Soaked Raisins

So are you ready to get y-y-yeasty?

Hmmm, I think with this recipe and the raisins involved we may need to be BEASTY!!

However, I digress, so without further ado……

Pane Tramvai or Milanese Raisin bread

And what are we aiming for?

what are we aiming for?

  • 3 cups of Raisins
  • 4 tsp dried yeast
  • 1 tsp molasses
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter softened
  • 4 cups of Strong Bread Flour
  • pinch salt.

See not many ingredients!!

Raisin Water

Soaked Raisins Squeezed!

Tramvai mini starter

  • Soak your raisins in warm water (cover the raisins)  for 90 minutes at RT.
  • Drain Raisins (saving the water) and squeeze out the raisins, also saving the excess water.
  • Warm 1 cup of raisin water and add in yeast, sugar and molasses, mix well and cover and place in warm area until creamy/frothy (20 minutes)
  • Place remaining 1 &1/4 cups of Raisin water in the fridge.
  • Place all dry ingredients in a bowl (flour and salt) and mix through butter.
  • Add the raisin yeasty water mix to the dry to start forming the dough.
  • Remove extra raisin water from fridge and add in enough to make a smooth but slightly sticky dough.
  • Knead on slightly floured area for 5- 6 minutes.
  • Place in lightly oiled bowl and let rise until doubles in size , usually 2 hours

Raisin dough ready for first rise

After first rise- ready to put in the raisins

Raisin dough ready for short 2nd rise

  • Remove dough from warm area and place dough on slightly floured area.
  • Dough should be quite sticky.
  • Toss raisins in flour, very lightly cover in flour.
  • Roll out dough slightly to about 25cm by 15 cm and lightly press 1/3 of raisins in the dough.
  • Fold over the dough like an envelope and flatten again with your palms and add in 2nd lot of raisins.
  • With the last addition of the raisins, roll up the dough and let it rest in its oiled bowl for about 20 minutes.

Ready for 2nd rise and shaped

Ready for the Oven- one sprinkled with grated apple

  • Roll the dough into 1 large or two smaller oval-shaped long loaves (as above).
  • Place dough on baking tray lined with baking paper.
  • Cover with a lightly oiled piece of glad wrap and then a tea towel.
  • Place in RT room and leave to rise for 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 250 Celsius , 40 minutes before bread is ready to go in.
  • You can place a baking stone in the oven and place the bread on this , if you have one.
  • When bread is ready to bake, place bread on tray in oven (or on stone).
  • Bake at high heat for 5-10 minutes and then reduce heat to 210 celsius and bake for a further 35-40 minutes.
  • Remove when deep golden brown.
  • Cool on a rack.

Ready…………….

Ready take two!!

This bread is so lovely and it really doesn’t take a lot of effort.

Now as I was rattling on above, you could use  this bread as a base to make many wonderful fruit breads.

You could do a variety of fruits in the bread with spices.

You could do 2/3rds fruit and 1/3 nuts.

You could do fruit, nut and chocolate.

You could add in spices or vanilla or grated citrus zest.

You are only limited by your imagination and trial and error.

have a slice (or two)

Full of raisins-just how i like it!!

While you ponder what you want to do next time, cut a slice or two………….

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy 

Recipe adapted from Carol Field’s ” The Italian Baker, 2nd Ed, 2011.

http://greedybread.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/easy-peasy-pane-tramvai/#more-520

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