A loaf of notched bread is an invention of French bakers. Initially, they were applied only to bread baked for wealthy people and the best restaurants in Paris.

Why is bread with and without cuts?

The presence or absence of incisions determines the shape requirements that are adopted for baking. For example, white “brick” or Borodino bread in any situation will have a smooth surface. Round "metropolitan" or "high-calorie" rolls are also smooth, and cracks are considered a flaw. A smooth surface and the absence of tears will be achieved thanks to the complete proofing of the workpiece: getting into the oven, it makes the last spurt, but it is not enough to make changes in appearance.

Why make cuts on bread?

When the workpiece is placed in the oven a little earlier, deep cracks appear on it, and the crust sometimes completely or partially “undermines”. To prevent this from happening, cuts are made on the surface, reducing tension. In fact, the incisions are pre-defined tears that enable the dough to appropriately grow in size in the baking process.

Not every variety of cotton products is cut. Braids, twisted rolls, bread with plates do not need them: carbon dioxide finds a way out at the junction or weave of the dough.

Although the incisions have a practical purpose, they are often used as a decoration for bread.In some situations, they will act as a “trademark”.
On baking such as a sliced ​​loaf, an urban bun, several cuts of a specific shape are made. However, often the incisions are made arbitrarily, at the request of the baker.

Only the surface of the workpiece is incised. Depth will vary between 5-10 mm (a special knife is used). The cuts are quick and clear. The bread knife is kept at an angle of 45 degrees.

Interesting fact: There is an opinion that the remaining carbon dioxide necessarily breaks the crust of bread. However, the gas will escape independently through fine pores. For example, bread “brick” is obtained without any breaks. Cracks in the crust of bread sometimes appear at too high temperatures or the absence of steam in the oven.

When do cuts on bread?

For certain varieties of cotton products, in particular rye, the surface of the dough is either not too deeply cut, or impaled in several places with a wooden skewer. In the same way it is possible to act in a situation when the dough reaches full proofing. When such blanks are deeply incised, they will be distributed wide in the oven.

Typically, cuts on the dough are performed before loading into the oven. But when there is a high flour content in the bread with an insignificant concentration of gluten, the workpiece at the end of the proofing will become extremely fragile and from the least touch will lose volume and settle.

Therefore, it is recommended to incise such baked goods immediately upon completion of molding.In bread from dense dough, for example, multigrain, it is also possible to make cuts after molding. In this case, at the end of baking, they will have a pronounced appearance.

The cuts on the crust of bread make it possible to decorate the product, and also helps to get a couple out of it, to control the shape. Directly in the place when the actions are performed correctly, the bread can open without breaking the sides.