Home | About | Contact
800.827.6836 | Norwich, Vermont

shopping cart

All discussions My Discussions
+ Add a Discussion
CookinATX badge: Community Member

Slashes in Loaf Tops

I've been pretty happy with my sourdough, except...

The slashes on top don't stay indented. The interior dough rises into the slashes so that all that is left is barely a pattern of the slashes. (Pictures on my wall.)

I don't know if my dough is not the right consistency, or if my steaming the first few minutes is causing the oven spring which fills in the cuts. I'm making the slashes about 1/2" inch deep.

It's only cosmetic, but I've seen beautiful artisan loaves where the pattern is much more pronounced. I want to make bread like that.

Chris

Replies to This Discussion

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save" to activate your changes.
KAF_Frank
  • Reply by KAF_Frank on January 13, 2012 at 1:40 pm
  • badge: King Arthur Baker

Hi,
From you wall photos it looks like these loaves are baking fairly "slowly". I say that because there is no color difference between the crust that the slashes. For more definition, I think you are going to need a hotter oven. If you have a stone, this would dramatically effect the look of the finished loaves as well as a more open interior crumb. For the look you seek, you need more heat, and you need it quicker. Frank @ KAF.

omaria
  • Reply by omaria on January 13, 2012 at 1:42 pm
  • badge: Community Member

Chris, maybe make your slashes a little deeper. Also sprinkle some flour on the loaves and then slash, when baked the slashes will stand out more. You can also use a stencil for sprinkling flour and then slash around the stencil. Makes for very nice loaves.

CookinATX
  • Reply by CookinATX on January 13, 2012 at 2:21 pm
  • badge: Community Member

Hi Frank,

Thanks. I haven't been able to afford a stone yet, so I've been pre-heating a cast iron grill in the oven. I pre-heat to 500 degrees for the first 5 minutes while steaming the loaves under covers, then turn down to 450 and uncover for the remaining bake.

Next time, I'll try turning the oven up 50 degrees.

Chris

CookinATX
  • Reply by CookinATX on January 13, 2012 at 2:27 pm
  • badge: Community Member

Hi omaria,

I made four loaves this morning: two white, two wheat. I did try slashing a bit deeper, and only one of the loaves maintained one center slash out of 3 slashes. The other 3 loaves had my usual problem.

I like the stencil idea.

Chris

hickeyja
  • Reply by hickeyja on January 13, 2012 at 7:28 pm
  • badge: Community Member

How long are you pre-heating the oven and the cast iron, before you put the bread in? I usually preheat my stone for at least 20 minutes. Over 30 minutes is more usualy and works better. Cast iron might heat up a bit faster than the stone, but I would be sure to give at least 15 minutes at the higher temp. Do you put the loaf (with or without parchment) directly on the cast iron grill or do you use a sheet pan under the loaf? Direct on the cast iron will give you better results.

Try holding your higher temp for the first 10 minutes of the baking time. I use a pan in the bottom of the oven for steaming. When I put the loaf in, I also quickly pour a cup of hot water into the pan and shut the oven door. Don't open again for 10 minutes. Be careful not to splash water on your cast iron grill pan. Good luck. Jan