Sourdough Boules
So, I've read David's scoring tutorial and now I have a question. Knowing me, it was answered there and I've somehow missed it, but I'm wondering about different cuts. I think it said that cutting a simple cross will help with upward expansion, my loaves here rose well, but I'm wondering if they would have risen more if I had cut at an angle. These cuts were 90 degrees. The tutorial said that straight angle cuts open faster and can halt the oven spring.
So, should boules be cut at an angle, as a batard would be? I haven't sliced these yet, so I don't know about the crumb, but my novice question is would a greater rise equal a more open structure or are too many variables involved (like hydration) to know.
The one on the left is a rosemary herb, and the right is regular sourdough, slightly undercooked to my taste. They look flatter in this picture than they really are, they rose nicely, I just wondered if they could have risen even more.
Comments
Hi Marni. I think your boules look terrific; the finished product and scoring look a lot like my loaves. Did you bake them under a cloche? I find that my scoring isn't very pronounced when baked that way; I assume it is because they get so much oven spring.
--Pamela
I had been slicing mine straight down as opposed to at an angle. I tried an angle but didn't like the appearance as much. I read a book- perhaps Silverton's- that described scoring a boule and saw that the blade was perpendicular to the boule rather than angled, so I have settled on straight-down scoring for boules. I love the results. Your boules look great!
The usual way to score boules is to hold the blade perpendicular to the surface of the loaf.
Yours look great, Marni.
David
Pamela- yes I usually bake them under a big pot. I forgot that would effect them, the results have been different when I use steam. I also think I get the best oven spring if they are covered.
DrPr- thanks for the confirmmaion on angles!
David- thanks for the response, I'm sticking with the perpendicular cut. I just thought maybe it was pulling open too fast and exposing too much, too soon.
We ate the rosemary boule today- lovely smell and a nice chewy interior.
Marni