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Ear

The raised flap of crust along the score line.

Ear: close-up of a sourdough ear, the raised crispy flap along the score — The raised flap of crust along the score, lifted by oven spring.

The dramatic flap of crust that rises up along a properly executed score line. It's created by scoring at a shallow angle (about 30°) with a sharp blade, allowing the bread to open sideways instead of straight up.

By Henry Hunter · Updated October 1, 2026

Henry's notes from the bench

Angle is everything. Hold your lame at 30° to the surface, not straight down. That's the secret to a good ear.

Scoring Lame Oven Spring

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Ear

Henry's notes from the bench

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