July 19, 2022 - 8:30pm
Scoring high hydration
Hi fellow Loafers
Can anyone give me some tips on how to score a high hydration loaf. I have 2 retarding in the fridge and ready to bake tomorrow. They are batards. I was thinking of freezing them for a bit beforehand., But should I go more shallow? Aim for a nice ear? I'm not very good at scoring as it is. I want to get the maximum oven spring. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
LL
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Are the loaves in pans or free standing?
I don't usually score high hydration loaves with a soft "skin" but if they have a "dried skin," a good result may come from a score on top not too far down the sides and in such a way as to hold the dough (like a basket) while dough rises in the middle. Dough will rise through where the cuts are made.
An angled cut, with the blade almost flat to the surface may give you an "ear." Think of it like skinning or flaying the surface as you cut. Only have to cut through the thickened surface...shallow. Generally, If the cut doesn't start to open after the score, it's not deep enough. ....Your results may vary.
Hi Mini
Thanks for replying. 75% . This is my plan. I'm gonna turn the loaves out and put them back in the basket right side up then stick them in the freezer for a bit, score them , lift them into the DO and bake. I'm a bit scared to do the angled cut . think i'll just do a 90 degree cut down the middle
if you insist do it on one loaf and try something new and exciting with the second loaf. Score after getting it out of the banneton, in the DO and before going into the oven. Suprise yourself!
draw a few ovals on a piece of paper and draw some score cuts. I do this sometimes so my mind doesn't go blank in the heat of the scoring excitement. Here's just a quick doodle
As my dad might say, "No guts, no glory." Place the loaf the long way in front of you and go for it pulling the blade towards you. Skin it! :)
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Thanks Mini!!! I'll try that!
Cold is better than a room temperature dough but you're doing that already.
Have you thought about using kitchen scissors instead of scoring?
Hmm kitchen scissors. How? Do enlighten me on that!
So my first loaf scored down the middle came out. Oven spring is Meh... my second loaf might have been in the freezer too long! I'm letting it thaw a bit before i load it in the oven.
Oh boy, maybe i shoulda let it thaw longer. I could barely score it, it was so hard. Oh well we'll see....
Oh boy, maybe i shoulda let it thaw longer. I could barely score it, it was so hard. Oh well we'll see....
I don't think I'll do the freezing thing again. The surface of the dough on loaf #2 has a weird smooth look to it and not the nice pimples that I usually see. The oven spring was only slightly better probably due to my trying to score an ear, which didn't really turn out partly due to the dough being too frozen and hard I couldn't get the cut deep enough.
Too high. If one can make a lower hydration bread that is very tasty and with a crumb they like then why aim for higher hydration?
As for using scissors just snip the dough in a pattern you like. Might be easier from the fridge and lightly dusted with flour.
How about not scoring them and putting the seam side up?
Just read about this, but can't remember where
You’re right. I normally do a slightly lower hydration but I admit it was late and I was tired and accidentally added too much water . Do you think I can get a good ear snipping down the length with scissors?
why is it that sometimes I get such a huge voluminous loaf (I assume due to oven spring) and sometimes I get just small loaves like in this case, yet the crumb doesn’t seem super compact as I would expect from a smaller loaf. I’m still pleased with my crumb.
And about baking seam side up, I’ve heard of that but I’m still trying to achieve that elusive ear.