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Finally i've learned how to score high hydration dough

Anonymous baker's picture
Anonymous baker (not verified)

Finally i've learned how to score high hydration dough

I was hesitating too much. Has to be quick and sure. Know how you want to score then quickly (but safely) slash the dough with the tip of the blade. If there is any hesitation it'll drag and tear.

HansB's picture
HansB

Confidence is key. I'm not confident in my scoring yet but pretend to be when I'm doing it!

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

I've always gone wrong with high hydration doughs because, as you say, I wasn't confident enough and it caused me to hesitate. So thinking I couldn't do it caused me to fail (I know it's very cliché but that's the only way I can explain it). You're slashing it, not cutting it.

alfanso's picture
alfanso

Hi Abe,

One of my general rules for success in scoring is to go from true end to true end on a batard or baguettes shape, regardless of the number of scores on that loaf.  Boules are a different beast.  As I don't often of boules, I'll leave that to our resident geniuses to chime in on.

I'll add that higher hydration doughs, because the weight of the water content is also higher in relation to flours, need to have a more severe angle cut into them during the score, as opposed to a lower hydration dough where the angle can be a bit more downward.  I'll posit that the greater angle is employed to take less of a "slice" of the dough because the weight of the "flap" will weight down and hinder the grigne - the dough may be too darn heavy to bloom otherwise.

I also position the dough to be scored, in relation to my body, so that it is neither head on toward me nor at a 90 degree  angle across from me.  More like somewhere between, like ~45 degrees.  Where the natural swing of my arm during the scores is, er, more natural than in either of the other two angles.

Quick and confident, tip of blade, all as you've already stated.  I'll also add unrushed.  From the David Snyder book of scoring the old "iron fist but velvet glove" approach is also a good way to conceive scoring.  

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

But I'm glad I've made this step. Now I just need to perfect it. This weekend just gone I happened to make a high-ish hydration dough so decided to use it as a practice run. Did no special pattern and just slashed the dough all over getting used to holding the blade, not hesitating and doing so with confidence. My problem is that I don't bake often enough to perfect the scoring technique which does need practice. Using a dough as a practice board and not aiming for a pattern helps and i'll continue like this till I can move on to an actual pattern.

Thanks for the advice Alan and i'll definitely employ these techniques with my future "practice" doughs. This one turned out into a very tasty loaf of bread actually. So a double winner.

Trying to think how i'll ever do a curve scoring. Straight is more natural but a curve will prove more tricky. Little steps at a time.

AlanG's picture
AlanG

I do mostly 500g sourdough batards with 66% hydration dough.  Ought to be simple to score which is what I thought.  The first couple of loaves were picture perfect and then lots of failures began to pile up.  It was so bad that I was afraid to open the oven after baking for fear of a blown out side of the loaf.  I finally figured out the problem.  I do the final proofing on a linen couche that was dusted with a mixture of rice and AP flour.  The presence of AP flour (maybe 50% of the mix) was the culprit.  I think it was drying the surface out.  I went to just using rice flour and have had probably 50 straight loaves with perfect scoring.  Same thing with traditional yeast baguettes.  You are both right that scoring requires a firm and swift cut.. 

bread1965's picture
bread1965

.. an interesting comment.. I normally have a 50/50 mix in my basket as well.. and most of my scores fail. I'll have to give this a try and see if it makes a difference for me too.. thanks for sharing.. more proof that 'a life well observed is more interesting to live'.. bake happy!

 

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

I shall certainly take that into consideration. There are so many aspects to baking and if just one thing is off...

bread1965's picture
bread1965

"dough smells fear" when shaping... I suspect that's at play here too.. I was watching some french fellow score boule after boule as he was loading them into a wood fired oven, only to see him score with confidence, speed and a sense of purpose.. bake happy..

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

Did wonders when it came to shaping but took much longer when it came to scoring. Perhaps holding a blade made me more fearful and the dough got its revenge. No fear!

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

in the above posts.

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

But they all served a good purpose. They've gone to bread heaven.