November 22, 2023 - 12:51pm
Oven spring ruined designer scoring
My standard bread is a 40/60 WW/AP sourdough. Instead of the simple scoring that I've done for years, I tried one of the elaborate floral designs. It came out beautiful, except that the oven spring broke through the center of the design. I imagine the solution is to let it rise longer, but I would have had to get the timing exactly right. Suggestions?
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A little more proofing time would probably help. So would letting the loaf dry out (rise uncovered) for another maybe 5 or 10 minutes before scoring and baking..
Think of your cuts in terms of decorative and functional. Functional scoring is where you want to direct the oven spring to go. Make those cuts first, then add your decorative scoring. It will probably take some experimenting with depth and placement. If these are round loaves, you could add a circular horizontal score around the circumference for upward expansion, or vertical cuts around the sides for outward expansion.
Asked and answered - get you timing right.
As Debra said, you also need an expansion score somewhere on the loaf to allow the bread to expand there. That will leave your decorative scoring intact (usually…with bread there can always be a surprise).
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I did an expansion score off to the side of these oval loaves, then added shallower decorative scoring on the large uncut side remaining. Not the best photo as far as the angle (and I needed more flour on the surface to allow the pattern to show, but you can get the general idea.