The Underrated Kitchen Tool Every Bread Baker Should Have

Once you've mastered the basics of making sourdough bread from scratch, you may be ready to try some more advanced techniques. As you delve into the wide world of baking tools, you'll find specialized equipment for almost every step of the process. But what do the experts use?

We asked Jami Callao, corporate pastry chef at the Respect Hospitality family of restaurants in New York, for her recommendation. She told us, "A good bread lame is a game changer, especially for sourdough baking. It's often overlooked because it seems like just a blade, but proper scoring enhances both the look and the baking process by allowing better steam circulation."

If you're not familiar with the bread lame (like this Saint Germain model on Amazon), the correct pronunciation is "lahm," which is French for blade, and it's been used since ancient Egyptian times. It has a sharp edge, which is often a flexible razor blade affixed to a handle. This fine edge cuts into the dough, scoring the surface before it bakes to create a decorative pattern.

Using a bread lame isn't just for looks. It has several important functions. First, it allows you to control the way the bread rises. When the dough heats, it expands quickly, which can make it split open into unattractive cracks. With a lame, you can choose where those fissures will be, creating weak points where the bread will split according to your designs. If you place your cuts evenly across the loaf, they will also help it rise and bake more uniformly, so the texture is consistent throughout every bite. Finally, as Callao explains, making cuts also helps steam escape during baking. This allows your bread to form the golden brown, crispy crust that we all prize so much.

If you're new to this tool, you can start simple, aiming to cut no more than half an inch deep. Make a single long slash down the center of an oblong loaf, or create a series of parallel angled cuts along the top of a baguette. For a round boule, try a basic criss-cross, or add more cuts to form snowflakes, stars, flowers, or leaves. Get creative, and then get ready for the oohs and ahhs when you put your fancy loaves on the table.