Scoring

Scoring the bread before baking is done for two purposes: one functional and the other aesthetic.

As bread bakes, it expands. By scoring the bread, we create more surface area for the bread to expand into. If the bread is not scored, it is possible that as it expands it may do so unevenly and cause tearing or sections of dough to pop out. The scoring allows a more controlled and even expansion of the dough. If your dough is young (not as proofed as it should be), but you’re baking it anyway, we suggest that the scores be deeper than normal to allow for more oven jump. If the bread is more proofed than optimal, make the scores delicate, as the bread may not have much energy left to fill them out. If your bread is very overproofed, there is no need to score it, and scoring may actually cause it to lose any remaining gas and therefore completely ruin it.