SCORING THE BREAD: How and when should you score the surface of the bread?

Before baking, you can personalize your leavened bread to make it visually appealing. After removing the plastic sheet or cloth covering the dough during proofing, let the surface dry for a few minutes.  

Then, using the tip of a sharp knife or a razor blade, make the desired cuts on the surface of the dough. These can be in various patterns: checkered, striped, longitudinal, cross-shaped, etc.