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Newoutlookonlife1
Ears are mostly slicing technique + great oven spring. What is your recipe and how do you cook your bread?
Geoff6882
I had this same question recently and what I did was score the loaf closer to the side, on an angle, if that makes sense? Got a pretty good ear that way
AgueDesigns
I have tried a few different techniques, but 1 that worked great for me: make sure you have really good tension on the loaf so the dough ball is tight when you score it, then score it deep, about 1/2” and on a 30-45 degree angle so you have a good “flap”. I have even let it bake for about 10 minutes then scored it again to make sure, but tension and depth/angle are key. Hope that helps. What have you tried?
blacklion06
Going by the photo, your oven spring looks good enough to not be the problem. Read into scoring techniques. In my experience it’s all about the angle of the lame relative to the bread surface, aiming for 45degrees. This is often easier to achieve on a colder loaf which had been final proofing in the fridge.
AgueDesigns
To me, by that photo, it looks like you may have scored but more straight down.
EngineeringAfraid269
I was born with them xP
But you can score a little deeper and with the blade at an angle (maybe 30-45°) instead of straight down the middle. And sometimes I do it a little off-centre
modestlacey
Sometimes I get them and sometimes not, always scored the same way. I usually put my dough on the counter when I start heating the oven. Last time I kept them refrigerated until right before scoring, and I think this helped. I have also been rescoring right when I put the dough into my Dutch oven since lifting it with the parchment paper sort of closes it up. I wish I had a pan like the Challenger bread pan where the bread could sit on a flat surface. This would help too.
Puzzleheaded-Push-14
I’m still new, and I haven’t been able to get the perfect ear either, but I’m scoring on a boule fresh from the fridge and it’s easier to score cold dough for sure. I’m sticking with the cross scoring on the top middle, and I’m getting 2 out of the 4 ears I see. The other two were still flat, but defined. Frankly though, the ear is just for show, as I prefer a softer crust for my 71 year old gums with dentures!
SwtSthrnBelle
I scour more on the side than the middle to get an ear.
Hi. Nice looking loaf. This cut was too perpendicular to surface Check out my profile ” Basic Expansion / Decoration cuts. “.
lassmanac
Score at a 45° angle and a little more to the side instead of straight down through the top
BattledroidE
In my experience it’s usually slight overproofing if it turns out good overall. That or lack of steam/too high heat so the crust sets too early. Gotta nail that fermentation. If it’s borderline underproofed, oven spring, open crumb and ear can be spectacular. Tricky balancing act though.
trimbandit
Can you post a crumb shot? I don’t see an aggressive spring, so it could be slightly overproofed. As others have said, scoring at an angle will help, but it needs that explosive outward push. Slightly underproofing can help with more spring.
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Ears are mostly slicing technique + great oven spring. What is your recipe and how do you cook your bread?
I had this same question recently and what I did was score the loaf closer to the side, on an angle, if that makes sense? Got a pretty good ear that way
I have tried a few different techniques, but 1 that worked great for me: make sure you have really good tension on the loaf so the dough ball is tight when you score it, then score it deep, about 1/2” and on a 30-45 degree angle so you have a good “flap”. I have even let it bake for about 10 minutes then scored it again to make sure, but tension and depth/angle are key. Hope that helps. What have you tried?
Going by the photo, your oven spring looks good enough to not be the problem.
Read into scoring techniques. In my experience it’s all about the angle of the lame relative to the bread surface, aiming for 45degrees. This is often easier to achieve on a colder loaf which had been final proofing in the fridge.
To me, by that photo, it looks like you may have scored but more straight down.
I was born with them xP
But you can score a little deeper and with the blade at an angle (maybe 30-45°) instead of straight down the middle. And sometimes I do it a little off-centre
Sometimes I get them and sometimes not, always scored the same way. I usually put my dough on the counter when I start heating the oven. Last time I kept them refrigerated until right before scoring, and I think this helped. I have also been rescoring right when I put the dough into my Dutch oven since lifting it with the parchment paper sort of closes it up. I wish I had a pan like the Challenger bread pan where the bread could sit on a flat surface. This would help too.
I’m still new, and I haven’t been able to get the perfect ear either, but I’m scoring on a boule fresh from the fridge and it’s easier to score cold dough for sure. I’m sticking with the cross scoring on the top middle, and I’m getting 2 out of the 4 ears I see. The other two were still flat, but defined. Frankly though, the ear is just for show, as I prefer a softer crust for my 71 year old gums with dentures!
I scour more on the side than the middle to get an ear.
https://preview.redd.it/9pft80hn3m9e1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6cb4208c599624477c1d74292535d22c74a73f14
Hi. Nice looking loaf. This cut was too perpendicular to surface
Check out my profile ” Basic Expansion / Decoration cuts. “.
Score at a 45° angle and a little more to the side instead of straight down through the top
In my experience it’s usually slight overproofing if it turns out good overall. That or lack of steam/too high heat so the crust sets too early.
Gotta nail that fermentation. If it’s borderline underproofed, oven spring, open crumb and ear can be spectacular. Tricky balancing act though.
Can you post a crumb shot? I don’t see an aggressive spring, so it could be slightly overproofed. As others have said, scoring at an angle will help, but it needs that explosive outward push. Slightly underproofing can help with more spring.
You might find [this](https://sourdoughbrandon.com/sourdough-ears/) helpful
Most of the time now. I guess I got better at scoring.
I make a second cut angled slightly under the edges of my first cut.
Ears are stupid anyway