August 5, 2007 - 6:21am
When to slash?
It seems the ideal time to slash is some time between shaping and baking. Beyond that, I'm a little bewildered. Ignoring for a moment, the constant and obvious answer in home baking, that anything you do is going to be great, what are the effects of slashing at various points during the final rise?
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99 % of the time you slash right before the bread goes in the oven. Slashes help to control how the loaf expands in the oven, so you don't get blow-outs or tears. They also look cool! :) Since the loaf is fully proofed, the slash can cause it to deflate (if it just sits around), so you want to get it in the oven asap to start the baking process.
I do remember in a class a specialty bread where you slashed before the final rise--it spread out as the loaf proofed and made an unusual shape--sorry I can't remember what kind of bread it was.
Thanks a ton, Breadnerd.
A lot of rye breads are scored after final shaping and complete the final rise with the cut. Due to the delicate nature of the dough much damage would result from a score to a leavened rye structure.
SD Baker
It's my understanding that some loaves - ciabatta?? - are prone to collapse if slashed after the final rise, just before baking. Perhaps these should be slashed, if at all, just after shaping.
Rosalie