Reading your description, I think one thing that specifically may have gone against your scoring was the lack of steam. When you put the loaves into a very hot oven, even one without stones, the first thing that’s going to bake up is, naturally, the crust. Without steam, the crust will set very early and become crispy and inflexible. With steam, however, there’s still heat but the dough remains somewhat pliable and stretchy, so although the insides can still warm up and expand, the outside isn’t binding it and still allows the slashes to expand and widen.

Of course, the slashes also need to be bold and definitive; you may well have done that though but thwarted your effort by skipping the steam.

This was one of, if not “the” best breads we’ve made from the BBA so far, IMHO. I’d definitely be rooting for a second go at it when you’re a tad less pressed for attention.

Hope you’re settling in nicely!

I can relate with spending too much time and money at one store. Bed Bath and Beyond just opened up in our city and I feel like I live there!

I had to laugh at your scary biga! That took either a great leap of faith or just sheer desperation to use that thing. In your case, I suspect it was desperation.

The whole slashing thing has got me scratching my head too. I also wish PR would come to my kitchen and demonstrate the proper technique. I think Daniel is correct in saying that the dough can not be overproofed and that you must do it with conviction. I guess that’s true for anything you do in life!

I enjoyed reading your post. Glad the bread turned out wonderful despite all you have going on.

I also had a similar experience with my Italian bread with regards to the slashing, and when I re-did them they were awesome. I also sort of left my biga in the fridge for a week before using, and it was still fine.

For slashing, you need the dough to not be overproofed, have good surface tension, and make the cuts with full conviction.