We don't celebrate Halloween in Malaysia but its influences must have rubbed off on me, because I really feel like doing some wicked slashing. *slash* *slash* Or, maybe, I've been inspired by lamp's blog where I see him effortlessly perfecting his scoring skills (tying flies for the right people helps 
).
The reasons for slashing (most) breads are not only aesthetic and functional, but, in ages past, they were also used to identify a family's bread since bread were baked in communal ovens. I don't know, but, for me, it's so incredible. Breadmakers are such a creative lot.
So, let's see lots of slashed breads. Who knows...perhaps, we'd like some particular slashes so much, we'll come to be identified by it. (Hey, that bread must be TP's?....the cuts are so....so..........rustic!)
Go and release the artist in you...or, at least, some aggression. What's good for your bread is good for you.
TP
).The reasons for slashing (most) breads are not only aesthetic and functional, but, in ages past, they were also used to identify a family's bread since bread were baked in communal ovens. I don't know, but, for me, it's so incredible. Breadmakers are such a creative lot.
So, let's see lots of slashed breads. Who knows...perhaps, we'd like some particular slashes so much, we'll come to be identified by it. (Hey, that bread must be TP's?....the cuts are so....so..........rustic!)
Go and release the artist in you...or, at least, some aggression. What's good for your bread is good for you.
TP
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Replies
The bread is 10% dark rye, which shows nicely against the floured outside.
TP
TP
Just one of my latest, a rye raisin and cranberry loaf. I actually have another version of the baguette going in again, hybrid with a tad bit of yeast, It's kinda cold here so I wanted to boost the sourdough!
What bread should I best play slashing with?
TP
I do like the diamond pattern. :-)
I tried for a "wave" looking slash that did not really work...
I'll bake again on Sunday night, and I'll see if they turn out looking a bit better....
Jeremy, I'm envious of how your breads look, especially your baguette!
The pattern is made even more interesting with the marks from your coiled banneton.
TP
I bought this crazy Dutch slashing machine off ebay a few weeks ago. TP you can borrow it from me if you ever decide to do Halloween.
It took me a while to find the right air fittings, but today i am making a dough for a test bake. I would like to reverse engineer the machine action to a hand action that a baker can use with a lame. It could be just a straight cut action, but I am hoping for something a little different. If anyone has experience with this style of cut, it would be good to hear from you.
Whatever you do, don't piss dad off!
Jeezus Graham that should be illegal in at least 30 States, unless you live in Alaska?
What sorts of loaves need that sort of slash?
TP, do you even dare go now?
What sorts of loaves need that sort of slash?
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Jeremy I am looking for a recipe now. Look at these photos, particularly the bottom of the page, and here as well.
More research:
Photo
Cut Bread (translation of 'knip brood')
Decoration Method
"finally, a kitchen tool that will remove all fingers simultaneously"
TP
Results
TP
I really should get a new stock of blades - my rusty razor blade does the job, but I am going to slip and give myself tetanus one of these days...
;)
cheers
Dom
Maedi
TP
the one on the left is supposed to be a D, but does look a bit o-like
Graham - I see what you mean, your collection of mean cutting implements has expanded since I last looked. Perhaps I'll put a proper lame on my Christmas wish list
1. knip machine not pushed deep enough. 2. wet dough and no flour added into cut. 3. time between cutting and oven too short for this style of dough. So tomorrow I will try again, with attention to these issues.
As I type, I've got a sourdough graham
TP
Can't believe it he bakes bread! Jejejejeje
Was it like trimming shrubbery?
Does look very nice, but considering your virtually a Luddite in bread terms, have you gone retro by using this utensil?
What sort of flour is it? What about doing mottled dough with a slurry of rice flour like Tiger bread, that is a Dutch sort of bread??
Keep at it!
The flour is a light stoneground wheat, about 80% extraction. The 2650g final dough included an enrichment of 400ml fresh milk/150g butter/90g honey. This enrichment was my tribute to Dutch culture, and actually turned out to be very good tasting.
TP is your graham flour a uniquely milled wholewheat flour? I've read that it is 'nuttier', with a finely ground endosperm and coarsely ground bran, and of course includes the germ. It sounds like the closest a roller mill can get to creating stoneground-style flour.
What is a non-sourdough pseudo-hokkaido (pumpkin???) loaf? Whatever it is, knipping it can only make it better.
Nice loaf, hope to see more soon.
Check out my interview with a baker from the former East Germany, really nice guy and he makes some awesome loaves, well from what I gather from the pictures and all the people trying to make them on the various German blogs!
Cheers and happy clipping! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Wolfgang Supke is a really cool guy, I like that interacts with other bakers on his blog and his breads look really good, it's safe to say I tried a couple, one great the other well I still can't figure all the German vocabulary or bread techniques yet!
Cheers,
Jeremy
Here's the graham loaf, with a weak attempt to slash a 'P' which turned out to be an ugly 'e'. Graham, the flour's from Bob's Red Mill. The flour itself does smell good, the taste test will be tonight...eating it with curry chicken.
Sneaking in the Hokkaido Milk Loaf (non-sourdough), pseudo coz I didn't use hokkaido milk which was ridiculously expensive. Gimme delicious australian milk anytime. It became my knipping candidate (I used scissors, of course) but the result is far from Graham's, so it shall not be shown from that angle. Here's the crumb..very rich, but, a bit too sweet, I think. It should be able to be converted to fully sourdough.
Not a good day for slashing.
TP
...thankfully. Will have to listen to your latest interview later, Jeremy. Busy day.
How's your beasties, Adam? Baking with it yet?
TP
500 g hard white flour
350 g milk
20 g honey
25 g butter
6 g salt
20 g fresh yeast (or 7 g packet of instant)
As for the sourdough. I rushed my first loaf, it was dense, and did not rise. I actually did not have the time to make it, so I will try again when I do.
I did convert it to a Whole Wheat starter though, and will be trying a WW sourdough next.
Adam
The recipe made approximately 4 loafs @ 230 grams
We taste tested one, and everyone loved it. Going to leave one for my boss's and see what they think. Very soft, with a sweet aftertaste.
Anyhow, back to work!
Adam
Yes, do take pix. Is the bread slashed? *cough* Actually, this thread is for SOURDOUGH*SLASHED*breads. I'm afraid I stuck my hand out at some stage and set the thread off tangent.
My girls love milk loaves.
TP
...November is a nutty busy time for me, but I'm going to try and contribute once Graham sends me a lame.
Question - I usually use a really wet dough, which I've always found harder to get slashed definition on. What % hydration doughs are you all using?
Thanks, Celia
...November is a nutty busy time for me, but I'm going to try and contribute once Graham sends me a lame.
Question - I usually use a really wet dough, which I've always found harder to get slashed definition on. What % hydration doughs are you all using?
Thanks, Celia
Question - I usually use a really wet dough, which I've always found harder to get slashed definition on. What % hydration doughs are you all using?
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Those small stciks above were made from a dough with 70% water and is pretty standard, for mine. Although, it varies from dough type to dough type; one size doesn't fit all.
Thanks Boris! I'm using a 75% - 80% hydration at the moment, will try cutting it back a bit to see if I get better definition in my slashes.
Waiting at the mailbox for the lame.. ;)
Nice to see you, C!
TP
[quote=TeckPoh]......... I'd be chicken to slash anything above 75% hydration.
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TP,
There's no question it's more difficult, and in most cases superfluous. If it's needed and the dough is fairly 'lively', speed of hand & lame movement not to mention technique is essential. Those well fermented 'slack' wheat doughs usually possess a springy, bouncy nature to them, hence we refer to them as 'lively'.
Wheat doughs with hydration over 75-80% will not need slashing anyway.
Often slashing our prized sourdough loaf at home evokes a performance anxiety in us as we gaze on the fresh clean dough surface. That pressure usually undermines our efforts. Try to relax but be deliberate with your slashes. The slashes on the laof below illustrates the simplicity but deliberate approach; looks beautiful.
[img]http://sourdough.com/gallery2/gallery/d/7234-2/firstloaf07.jpg[/img]
Go and see what the Dan Lepard site is saying about retarding, I still let my loaf warm up, never right out of fridge and into the oven!?
My line's slow, so the pic took a while to unload. As it unfolded, I nearly fell off my chair when it started to look familiar. So funny. Thank you...too kind. A compliment I'd have to work hard to recreate.
Yes, indeed. Anxiety describes my state spot on, almost all the time as I'm about to slash my breads. Arrrggghh.
TP
.... where's my lame ?!?! :D
(Just kidding, I only ordered it yesterday, so I'm being a bit optimistic..)
You go, girl!!!
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