Scoring

Cutting or slashing a design in the top of a shaped piece of dough to control its expansion during baking and to create a defined look to the finished loaf. Scoring is done with a razor blade, a curved blade called a lame, or even a small, serrated knife, just prior to the bread being placed in the oven. The cuts or slashes should just graze the surface of the loaf (usually about ¼ inch deep) and should be done in a quick, smooth movement at about a 45-degree angle. The baked bread will then have an open cut called a grigne. Not all breads are scored, particularly those that are enriched with butter and eggs.