Spelt flour comes from an ancient type of wheat which helps to create a loaf which is rich in fibre and other nutrients.
This seeded spelt bread recipe is rich in nutty flavours and textures which goes really well with cheese such as mature cheddar.
Spelt dough is nice to work with and fairly easy to make, don’t be put off by the higher water content. The dough continues to absorb water throughout the kneading processes and it might seem a bit sticky at first.
Having a nice soft sticky dough will result in a well risen soft bread.
Seeded Spelt Bread Recipe
This wholemeal seeded loaf uses spelt flour and mixed seeds for extra flavour and texture. Perfect for sandwiches or just eating on its own with butter.
Weigh out the spelt flour into the mixing bowl and add the salt and yeast without letting them touch each other in the bowl.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the softened butter along with the water and the mixed seeds.
Bring the ingredients together until they're all combined, don't worry if the dough looks too sticky early on because it will continue to absorb water as it's kneaded.
Knead the dough on an oiled surface for 12-15 minutes if you're kneading by hand or for 10 minutes if you're using a dough hook.
Leave the dough to rise in a large mixing bowl until it's doubled in size, this will take at least an hour.
Stage 2 – shape the dough
Once the dough has risen, scrape it out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and dust the top of the dough with flour.
Fold the dough in on its self until a nice smooth top forms and shape so that it fits into the bread tin with any seams pointing downwards.
Oil the tin and spread it around using a piece of kitchen towel, if your tins are prone to sticking, you might want to dust with some flour too.
Place the dough into the baking tin, cover with a cloth and leave to prove for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Stage 3 – add the seed topping & bake
Preheat the oven to 220°C/230°F
Once the dough has proved, slash the top of the loaf with a serrated bread knife.
Gently brush the top of the loaf with beaten egg taking care not to let it go near the tin to stop the loaf from sticking to the tin as it bakes.
Sprinkle a handful of mixed seeds over the top of the loaf.
Place in the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes until the bread is crispy on the outside and golden brown.
To get the bread out of the tin without knocking the seeds off, place a folded tea towel over the top of the bread and turn upside-down. Leave the loaf to cool on a wire rack to cool.
You might be wondering why this is the best cauliflower cheese recipe and what’s it doing on a website all about bread?
I decided to include this recipe because not only is it a great way to use up leftover bread, it also goes really well as a complete meal with some homemade granary bread.
Cauliflower cheese is a classic dish, which is slightly underrated because done well, you can really take it up to the next level.
I’m going to show you how to make the perfect cauliflower cheese which tastes amazing, along with tips on how to get the best results.
The extra flavours and texture which make this the best cauliflower cheese recipe come from not one, but three kinds of cheese, along with a crispy cheesy crouton topping.
Cauliflower Cheese with three cheeses and croutons
A deliciously cheesy cauliflower cheese topped with crispy croutons – a great way to use leftover bread
Grate all the cheeses onto a plate ready for when you need them.
Measure the milk into a jug.
Heat a medium sized pan on a medium to high heat.
Add the butter to the pan and stir until its melted and bubbling well – but not turning brown.
Add the flour to the butter and mix together to form a thick paste. Stir for a minute or two to cook the flour.
Add some of the milk (about 100ml) to the flour and whisk well until its incorporated into the paste. Don’t worry if it looks lumpy at first, if you keep beating the lumps will go.
Repeat this step adding a bit of milk at a time until you have a thick silky sauce, keeping it moving all the time so the sauce at the bottom of the pan doesn’t burn.
Add about two thirds of the cheeses to the pan, holding back a third of each cheese for the topping.
Add the nutmeg and salt and check the seasoning, stir well and turn off the pan.
Prepare the cauliflower
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the salt.
Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower and cut it in half across the top.
Remove the main core from the cauliflower in a triangular shape.
Break up the cauliflower and place the florets into the pan of boiling water.
Boil for 5 minutes then drain the water and leave in the hot pan for a few minutes to evaporate any excess water.
Tip the cauliflower onto a clean tea towel and pat down to get rid of as much water as possible.
Place the cauliflower in a large baking dish.
Make the Croutons
Cut the bread into cubes which are about 1-2cm square – they don’t have to be perfect because a rustic look is good.
Place them in a bowl and pour over the olive oil, toss the breadcrumbs in the oil and set aside.
Assemble and bake
Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F
Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower in the baking dish and spread out evenly.
Sprinkle over the croutons and the remaining cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for about 20-30 minutes so the croutons go crispy and the top is golden.
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
The cheese sauce is made by adding cheese to a basic roux sauce. Because cauliflower contains a lot of water, it’s important that your sauce isn’t too thin because more water will be released when the cauliflower cheese is cooked in the oven. The key is to make the sauce thicker at the beginning to allow for the released water later on.To avoid any lumps and to make sauce cooking time quicker warm up the milk first in a small pan. This way the sauce thickens much quickly so no lumps develop. In this recipe, I use Parmesan or Pecorino cheese and mature cheddar for flavor and a coloured cheese for colour, but it’s really up to you if you want to change one of the cheeses or just use what you have in the fridge, as long as the overall quantity is the same.
The following dishes go really well with cauliflower cheese:
Thick back bacon or a gammon steak.
Use it as a side dish for a roast beef Sunday dinner.
Serve it with sausages and oven-baked tomatoes drizzled with a bit of olive oil.
It also goes really well with a chunky wedge of granary bread and butter (you might want to make the recipe without the croutons if you’re doing this to avoid a bread overload!). Find out how to make homemade Granary bread here.
How to stop cauliflower cheese from going watery
Watery cauliflower cheese is something that can happen because the cauliflower releases water as its cooking.
Here are some tips which you can follow to counteract the extra water release and produce creamy rather watery cauliflower cheese.
Make the cheese sauce thicker so it can withstand some water release while baking.
When you parboil the cauliflower drain it thoroughly in a colander and transfer it back into the hot pan for a minute or two to evaporate excess water.
Pat the cauliflower dry using a tea towel before placing it in the baking dish.
Use fresh cauliflower rather than frozen for cauliflower cheese, I’ve tested both and the frozen version released a lot more water.
How to store and reheat cauliflower cheese
Cauliflower cheese with croutons can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated.
That said, cauliflower cheese is best eaten when it’s freshly made because the croutons and the cauliflower tend to go soggy when refrigerated and reheated.
You might also like…
If you enjoyed using left over bread to make croutons, you might also like the following article on croutons:
Making organic bread at home is a good way to ensure your bread is completely organic and free from chemicals used for growing crops along with any nasty additives which are sometimes added to flour.
As long as you source the right ingredients for your dough you can make tasty, fresh bread which is completely organic in your own home.
For bread to be truly organic it needs to be made using natural ingredients which have not been in contact with pesticides, fertilizers, growth regulators and are not genetically modified,
If an ingredient is marked as ‘Organic’ the maker has to comply with the rules and regulations involved being allowed to display the word organic on their packaging.
There are lots of good organic flours available online and some can now be bought in local supermarkets, in this article I’ll show you where you can buy the best organic flour and yeast to make homemade bread, along with an easy organic bread recipe.
The recipe below can be adapted for various organic flour types including white flour, wholemeal and spelt flour, you can also make it using either fresh or dried yeast – find out more how to adapt it below the recipe.
Homemade Organic Bread Recipe
Rachel Jones
How to make homemade bread using completely organic bread ingredients
300mlTepid waterYou may need more depending on flour type – see notes below
Instructions
Measure the flour, dried yeast and salt into the large mixing bowl (keeping the salt and yeast separate).
Make a well in the flour and add the butter and water.
Bring the dough together using your hand or a dough scraper until it forms a soft dough (or mix gently using a dough hook and stand mixer). Add a little more water if the dough looks too dry.
Lightly flour or oil a work surface and knead the dough for around 10-15 minutes (or 8-10 minutes using a dough hook and stand mixer).
Once the dough has been kneaded, place it back into the mixing bowl, cover and leave it to rise for at least an hour or until the dough has at least doubled in size.
Remove the dough from the bowl and flatten a bit to remove any large air bubbles.
Roll up and shape the dough either into an oblong shape if you're using a bread tin or into a round or bloomer chape if you're making a free form loaf.
Place the dough either onto a baking sheet or tray lined with a sheet of baking parchment or a lighlty greased and floured loaf tin so it doesn't stick
Cover and leave the dough to prove (rise again) for around an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat an oven to 230°C or 446°F.
Slash the dough with a sharp serrated knife and sprinkle with flour (optional).
Bake the loaf for around 25 minutes until golden brown and it makes a hollow sound when you knock the base with your nuckle.
Place the loaf onto a wire rack and leave until it's completley cooled.
You can buy both dried and fresh organic yeast online, depending on what you prefer to use.
If you’re a beginner bread maker I would recommend starting with a fast action dried yeast rather than the fresh version.
If you choose to use fresh yeast a good way to activate it is by stirring in a teaspoon of sugar. Many supermarkets stock organic sugar if you’re looking to keep your bread truly organic.
15g of Fresh Organic yeast will be enough for this recipe when using 500g of bread flour.
Organic yeast will be slower to rise than the fast action dried version but it does help to create a better-flavoured bread and is good to experiment with.
For more information about the differences between fresh and dried yeast, take a look at my post via the link below:
As each bread flour is different and contains different levels of protein the amount of water it absorbs will vary. For this recipe, I’ve said to use 300ml of water, but this is an absolute minimum.
Wholemeal flour and very strong flour (over 13% protein) will absorb more water (up to 350/370ml) than some white flour white flours which contain around 12-13% protein.
If you don’t regularly use the flour brand, then check the packet for the recommended water amount per 500g of flour.
You may still need a little more as the packet recipes are sometimes air on the side of caution when it comes to water measurements.
It’s better to have a sticker, wetter dough than one which is tight and dry because this could lead to a dense loaf.
The best organic bread flour & where to buy
Below are some of the best organic bread flour brands that will produce good results. Please note, at the time of writing many brands of bread flour are out of stock, I’ve added a few links in case you need to shop around.
Some links on this page are Amazon affiliate links, check my privacy policy for more info.
I’ve recommended the Kenwood Chef as a stand mixer with a dough hook a few times in this site, but I just wanted to put together a full page to tell you why I love this mixer, how to use it to make bread and a bit about the other attachments you can use for cooking and baking.
As a Kenwood Chef-owner, I’ve adapted an easy way to make bread, where you can stay hands-off throughout the mixing and kneading parts of the bread-making process.
I’ve also put together step-by-step instructions on how you can make delicious homemade bread when you can’t or don’t have time to knead yourself.
If you are interested in checking my favourite Kenwood Chef Stand Mixer click here (Amazon link).
Why I Recommend the Kenwood Chef for Making Bread
Before we start, I know there are some bread purists out there who say you should always make bread by hand and using a machine is cheating.
Where maybe a bread machine is cheating because it does every single step for you, using a dough hook just helps you with certain elements of the bread-making process, which are mixing and kneading.
If you use a bread hook you still have full control over other aspects of the process including rising, proving and baking, so nobody will ever know that you cheated a bit on the kneading front!
I love making bread by hand and most times I do hand knead, but I have arthritis so some days it’s too painful to stand there kneading for a long time. This is when I step back and let the machine do the work when I don’t feel like it.
The image above shows my trusty Kenwood Chef, it’s not the latest model and I think it’s now somewhere between 10-15 years old now (or maybe even older).
I also remember my mum owning the same machine for many years. This is because it’s a sturdy and reliable machine that just keeps on going no matter what you put it through (within reason).
The Kenwood Chef has a strong motor which is capable of kneading bread dough with ease, unlike some other versions and especially hand mixers.
It usually comes with other attachments and others are available to buy if you need them, such as mincers and even sausage-making attachments.
When I got mine it came with a blender attachment which fits on the top, which is really good for making soup and smoothies.
What Attachments You Get as Standard with a Kenwood Stand Mixer
There are sometimes different packages or extra ad on attachments which you could get when you buy a Kenwood Chef stand mixer depending on where you buy it from, but as standard, you will get:
The Kenwood Chef Stand Mixer
A metal mixing bowl which fits into the stand
A dough hook attachment
The ‘K’ attachment for beating
A large whisk attachment
A tool to adjust the attachment height if you need to
For checking latest prices for Kenwood Chef Mixer click here (Amazon link).
What Bread Types Can You Make With a Kenwood Chef Mixer
The Kenwood Chef stand mixer is good for making many types of yeast bread where the dough requires kneading, including:
Any standard loaf recipe using white or brown flour
Bread roll dough
Pizza dough
Ciabatta
Baguettes
It’s especially good for doughs with a high water content (hydration) where the dough is quite sticky and difficult to handle, such as ciabatta dough.
I don’t tend to use the dough hook if I’m making sourdough because the method I use is better with with less kneading.
Kenwood Chef Dough Hook Instructions
The elements of bread making which you can use the dough hook for are:
Weighing the ingredients directly into the mixer bowl
What Kenwood Chef Speed Should You Use for Bread Dough?
Breaking this down into two stages, mixing ingredients to form a dough and kneading the dough.
For this mixing stage use minimum speed halfway between off and one, to give the ingredients a chance to mix slowly just in case it’s too dry and needs a touch more water. Once the ingredients have formed a dough, turn the speed up to one and leave the hook to knead the dough.
Which other Kenwood Models Can You Use for Making Bread?
Other Kenwood models which are available and can be used along with a dough hook to mix and knead bread dough are:
The Kenwood kMix
Kenwood Chef Titanium
Kenwood Chef Titanium XL
Kenwood MultiOne
Kenwood Chef Elite
Kenwood Chef Elite XL
Read on to see a comparison between the Kenwood Mixers and find out which is the best depending on your requirements.
Which is the Best Kenwood Stand Mixer for Making Bread?
I use the Kenwood Chef which is the basic model, but there are other options for higher power, larger mixers and more attachments.
I’ve put together the table below to show you the differences between the main Kenwood mixers, all of which can be used to mix and knead bread dough.
All models offer the sturdiness of a Kenwood along with the fact the brand is made to last.
Mixer Type / Specific.
Kenwood Chef
Kenwood kMix
Kenwood Chef Titanium / XL
Kenwood MultiOne
Kenwood Chef Elite / XL
Model no.
KVC3100W
0W20011141
KVC7300S
KHH326WH
KVL6100S
Wattage
1000W
1000W
1500W
1000W
140W
Speeds
7 & pulse
6
8
6
8
Bowl size
4.6 L
5L
4.6 or 6.7L
4.3L
4.6 or 6.7L
Bowl type
Metal
Glass
Metal
Metal
Metal
Weight
7.3kg
9.1kg
9.2kg
5.3kg
11.7kg
Dimensions
38 x 28 x 30 cm
38.5 x 24 x 35.5 cm
38 x 28.5 x 30.5 cm
40 x 24.7 x 29 cm
51.5 x 48.2 x 37.1 cm
Colour/s
White with silver detail
Cream, red, white or black with silver detail
Chrome Silver
White with silver detail
Matte Silver
Attachments Included
– Dough hook – K Beater – Whisk
– Dough hook – K Beater – Whisk – Splash guard
– Dough hook – K Beater – Whisk
– Dough hook – K Beater – Whisk -Juicer -Blender
– Dough hook – K Beater – Whisk
Pros
Good for Home baking on a small scale/good all rounder/ Good value
Home baking on a small scale/ modern looking/ Good value
Higher power sturdy mixer
Good value if you want more attachments/ good for general baking & food prep
Sturdy higher power mixer
Cons
Not so good for a large volume of dough
Not so good for a large volume of dough
Pricy for the same size bowl as standard chef alternative
Not so good for dough making & smaller bowl
Pricey mixer when compared to standard chef model for the extra 400W
Dough capacity
1 large loaf/2 small
1 large loaf/2 small
Up to 2 large loaves
1 small loaf
Up to 2 large loaves
Comparison of Kenwood Stand Mixers
The Verdict: Which Kenwood Stand Mixer Type is the Best?
if you’re looking to produce up to one large loaf or two small loaves the basic Kenwood Chef model and the kMix offer good value for money and have enough power to perform well.
The XL versions of the Titanium and Elite mode are good if you’re looking for more power and bowl capacity, but you do pay for these extra features.
Although the Kenwood MultiOne is a good allrounder for cooking and basic baking, I wouldn’t choose it for bread making as the machine is less sturdy and is pricy too.
How to buy a stand mixer
Amazon usually has all models in stock and are competitively priced, click the images below to check the current price for each mixer type from the table above.
This is the model I would recommend for home bakers, for sturdiness power and the fact it will last for years. This is the latest version and is compatible with other attachments such as a blender or mincer. The bowl size is ample for making a large loaf or two smaller loaves.
This mixer is a good value and better looking alternative for the basic Kenwood Chef model. With a modern take on the bulkier looking mixers, it’s available in four different colours. The mixing bowl is slightly larger than the Kenwood Chef and it has the same power at 1000W, so performance wise, this is a good stand mixer.
The Kenwood Chef Titanium is a higher spec version of the Kenwood Chef with either a 4.6l bowl or the XL which comes with a 7.6l bowl. The main feature is the increased power at 1500W, the extra power along with the larger bowl option means you can make two large loaves at a time. The titanium is definitely a pricer option, but one which will last for many years. Additional attachments such as a blender or mincer can easily be attached to the top of the machine.
The Kenwood Chef Elite and the XL version are a slightly cheaper alternative to the Titanium which is available in the same bowl sizes (4.6 or 7.6l). The power nearly matches that of the Titanium at 1400W and so has the ability to make two large loaves if you choose the XL model with the larger bowl capacity. Additional attachments such as a blender or mincer can easily be attached to the top of the machine.
You might also like…
I hope this article has helped you to find out more about the Kenwood Chef and how to use it. you might also like the following post:
Living in Wales, I had to make sure I included a Bara Brith Recipe, my Welsh Mother in Law gave me this recipe which I’ve adapted slightly and made many times. I’ve also made it for large events and it’s always gone down really well with a crowd.
Bara Brith is a welsh fruit bread which translates to ‘speckled bread’, it’s traditionally flavoured with tea, hence the name ‘Tea Bread’. Bara Brith can be risen using with or without yeast, depending on the recipe.
If you’re a Bara Brith purist, I’m sorry but this isn’t the bread version of the recipe, it’s a cake-like loaf which is leavened with self-raising flour instead.
But, what this recipe lacks in yeast it gains in moistness, taste, even fruit distribution and it gives off the most amazing smells while it’s baking.
The method is pretty different and you might think it looks a bit wrong when you make it, but trust me, it will work and it’s so easy!
Moist Bara Brith – Welsh Tea Bread Recipe
A no yeast version of the Welsh Bara Brith which is moist and full of flavour
Place the tea bags into a cup and just cover with boiling water and leave to soak while you prepare the other ingredients.
Place the milk, butter, dried fruit, sugar and the soaked tea bags into a small pan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
Let the mixture bubble for a few minutes and then turn off the heat.
Leave the mixture to cool in the pan for an hour or two.
Prepare the dried ingredients & add the wet ingredients
Preheat an over to 160°C or 320°F
Add the flour, spices and the beaten egg to a large mixing bowl
Remove the tea bags from the fruit mix and tip the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl containing the flour, spices and egg
Fold in using a large metal spoon until all the ingredients are combined
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for around 40 minutes, until golden brown – test by inserting a skewer into the middle of the dough and if it comes out clean it's ready
The popularity of artisan bread is rapidly growing and along with it is the art of scoring or slashing bread dough to create various patterns from rustic lines to elaborate and decorative patterns such as wheatears or flowers.
But it’s not all about decoration, there’s also a practical reason for slashing dough too. So, what is the best way to score dough and why do we do it?
Bread dough is scored (or slashed) before baking to break the outer skin of the dough and allow it to rise up further as it bakes in the oven and without it bursting in the wrong places such as the sides. Scoring it also improves the look of the bread and helps to create more crust texture. It can be done with a tool called a bread lame or a knife.
Read on to find out more about everything you need to know about scoring dough, including; why we score or slash bread dough, easy scoring tips, techniques and patterns along with which pattern you should use for each bread type shape.
How to Score Bread Dough Before Baking
Scoring bread can be as simple or complex as you want to make it, the important thing is to do what you feel comfortable with and to perform each cut with confidence.
Bread dough is best scored with either a bread lame, a small serrated knife or a bread knife. A smooth-edged knife doesn’t work well because it can drag the dough causing some collapse in the bread structure.
It can be tempting to press down on the dough with your hand when you’re scoring dough, but try to just use your hand as a guide without putting any pressure onto the dough.
Make each cut with a quick and confident action without using a sawing action, this way the blade won’t drag the dough and you’ll have a nice clean cut.
At What Stage Should You Score the Dough?
The dough should be scored after it has been shaped and proved for the second time. The oven will need to be pre-heated and up to temperature when you score the bread so it can be baked straight away.
If there is slight deflation following scoring it will not harm the dough to let it recover for 15 minutes before baking – providing the yeast is still fermenting.
If you score the dough before it’s proved, the proving process will stretch out the cuts and they will be barely visible by the time the dough is ready to bake.
What Is a Bread Lame and How Do You Use One?
A bread lame is a type of serrated razor with a handle, some have rounded edges and some straight.
You don’t have to have a lame to make slash lines in bread, but they’re good if you want to make patterns which require a little bit more precision.
A lame is also good for controlling the depth of the score and for creating a rounded line, whereas a knife is really just good for straight lines.
Buy at Amazon
You can buy bread lames directly from Amazon and other online specialist baking stores. This type of lame (see image) is easy to use and will produce good results for home bakers at all levels. Click here to check the current price.
Why Do Bakers Score Bread Dough Before Baking?
We know how to slash dough, so let’s have a look at the benefits of dough scoring (apart from making it look pretty).
Here are the reasons it’s good to slash dough before it’s baked:
When you shape dough with a tight top the bread can burst open in parts as it bakes if the top crust isn’t broken first.
Slashing the dough allows the bread to expand and rise up as it bakes in the oven and before the crust firms up.
Bread which has been scored will have a more interesting and crispy crust texture than a smooth loaf.
Top tip!
Spraying the dough with water and/or using steam in the oven complements the scoring process by making the crust more crispy along with a glossy looking finish.
A moist environment will also help the dough to expand, especially if the dough has been scored.
Decorative Bread Patterns
The Best Dough Scoring Patterns for Each Bread Type
Ultimately the pattern you choose as a home baker is entirely up to you, bread making is all about experimentation and each bake will produce unique results.
The images below show a # shape in a cob loaf (left), a lengthways slash on a tin loaf (centre) and a bloomer loaf with some slanted slashes (right).
The table below lists some bread types which generally produce better results if the dough is slashed before baking along with a good shape pattern to use for the best expansion:
Bread type
Best pattern
Tin loaf (any flour type)
One large slash lengthways down the loaf
Cob shaped loaf/Pain de champagne (or any round loaf)
4 or 5 straight or slanted lines, a # shape or a cross will all work well
Bloomer loaf
Straight or slanted lines across the shorter side around 1 inch apart down the length of the loaf
Baguette
Slanted lines a few inches apart down the length of the loaf
Sourdough
Any pattern you’d use on a yeast bread in the same shape – good for something more elaborate such as ears of wheat
Soda bread
A traditional cross shape on a round loaf
Crusty dinner roll
One slash down the length of the roll
Small oval-shaped loaves
One slash off centre and at an angle down the length of the loaf or 4 or 5 lines down the loaf on an angle or straight
Bread Types Which Don’t Need to Be Scored
Scoring or slashing bread dough doesn’t work with every bread type, here are a few examples of bread which traditionally isn’t scored and those which wouldn’t really work:
Any kind of flatbread or pizza dough (for obvious reasons)
Ciabatta loaves and rolls – traditionally have a smooth top
Focaccia – traditionally has dips or holes to retain toppings rather than slashes
Bread rolls for burger or sandwich rolls – work best with a smooth top
Brioche bread or rolls – have a smooth glossy looking top
If you’re looking to make bread for sandwiches with a square-ish top you don’t need to slash the dough, many wholemeal loaves have a smooth plain top. It’s really down to the end result you’re looking for.
TIP: Not sure if you have all the necessary bread baking equipment at home? Check out my recommended picks below (Amazon links):
Another way to create patterned effects on bread is by using flour, you can make the following effects in conjunction with scoring for really pretty looking bread:
Gently rub flour all over the top of the dough before scoring, this way the scored area of the crust will be a different colour.
Sprinkle flour over the loaf after scoring so that some collects in the scored areas
Use flour with stencils to create patterns such as wheat on top of the bread along – can be used as well as scoring.
Take care when using flour because it can burn when it’s baked if the oven is very hot or you’re looking to produce a very dark crust.
More Bread Dough Scoring or Slashing FAQ’s
What to do if bread deflates when you score it
When you slash or score bread dough there can be a slight deflation, especially if the dough has been proving for some time or large air bubbles have formed on the top.
If the dough does deflate a bit and there is still life in the yeast, leave it to prove for another 10 or 15 minutes to improve the strength before baking the bread in the oven.
How deep should you score or slash dough?
In general, a slash in bread dough should be around 1/2 cm deep. For slashes down the middle of a loaf or across a bloomer, a deeper cut works well whereas a shallower score works well for patterns such as wheat or flowers. Any cuts into the dough will expand as the dough bakes in the oven.
You might also like…
I hope this post has helped you to understand more about slashing dough and when to do it. You might also find the following posts helpful as creating steam and a moist dough work well with scored dough:
