Basic Tools for Scoring Sourdough
If you don’t have a lame, just check your kitchen drawers or knife block for these alternatives. All will work as long as the blade is very sharp.
Paring knife: Held at an angle, a quick decisive cut with a paring knife ($40, Target) will offer lame-like results Kitchen scissors: Simply snipping the dough surface at an angle with kitchen scissors ($20, Bed Bath & Beyond) will create deep enough cuts. Razor blade: The lame alternative gives you even more control to make those pretty decorative cuts you may want. Always handle razor blades ($5, Target) with extreme caution.
How to Score Sourdough Bread
Holding the lame or a tool listed above, make one or two long cuts about ½ inch deep in the top of your bread dough. If you didn’t cut deep enough on your first cut, you can make the same cut again to deepen it. During baking, this edge curls back, creating what is referred to as an “ear.” You can make additional smaller cuts in any pattern you like.
