Top products from r/Sourdough
We found 54 product mentions on r/Sourdough. We ranked the 108 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
1. Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven With Loop Handles, 5 qt
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 9
One Lodge Pre-Seasoned 5 Quart Cast Iron Double Dutch OvenLid converts to a 10.25 Inch SkilletLoop handles provide secure controlUnparalleled heat retention and even heatingPre-seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oilUse to sear, sauté, simmer, bake, broil, braise, roast, fry, or grillUse in the ov...
2. Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Combo Cooker, 2-Piece Set, 10.25", Black
Sentiment score: 3
Number of reviews: 7
Foundry seasoned, ready to use upon purchaseUse on all cooking surfaces, grills and campfiresOven safeSauté, sear, fry, bake and stir fry to heart's contentMade in the USA
3. Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza [A Cookbook]
Sentiment score: 4
Number of reviews: 5
Flour Water Salt Yeast The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza
4. Tartine Bread (Artisan Bread Cookbook, Best Bread Recipes, Sourdough Book)
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 4
Chronicle Books CA
5. Artisan Sourdough Made Simple: A Beginner's Guide to Delicious Handcrafted Bread with Minimal Kneading
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 2
6. Mercer Culinary Millennia Wide Wavy Edge Bread Knife, 10-Inch, Black
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 2
Ergonomic Handle – a combination of Santoprene for Comfort and polypropylene for durabilityTextured finger points provide slip resistance, grip, and safety. Protective finger guard.Hand wash knives for blade edge and surface careThe highest quality Japanese steel allows for easy blade maintenance ...
7. 9 Inch Bread Banneton Proofing Basket - Baking Bowl Dough Gifts for Bakers Proving Baskets for Sourdough Lame Bread Slashing Scraper Tool Starter Jar Proofing Box
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 2
GIFTS FOR BAKERS: PERFECT FOR ANY RECIPE Holds 1.5 pounds of dough with 9 inch (D) x 3.5 inch (H) size bread proofer basket , works well with any recipe involving Flour Water Salt and Yeast such as Lahey No Knead, Tartine Country, Glutenfree recipes, and many more and bread proofing bowl is capable ...
8. Utopia Kitchen Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron 2-In-1 Combo Cooker with 3.2 Quart Dutch Oven and 10.25 inch Skillet
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 2
9. Breadtopia Sourdough Starter (Live)
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 2
This is the starter we use in all our sourdough baking at Breadtopia. Directly from our batch in its live form and not dried.Follow the simple instructions for multiplying and restoring to full potency for use.A hearty strain of wild yeast that has served us well for years. Contains organic wheat fl...
10. Happy Sales Banneton Brotform Rattan Proofing Basket
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 2
Commercial Strength of high quality material and heavy duty constructionHand woven bread proofing mold made of 100% rattanDesigned to accomodate 1 - 1.5 lb long loavesDimensions: 9.75" L x 6.25" W x 3 "H
11. Ozeri ZK14-S Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale, Black
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 2
Accurate, elegant, easy-to-use digital kitchen scale for your largest and smallest cooking projects - weighs up to 11.24 lbs (5100 grams) with precise graduations of 0.05 oz (1 gram).Automatic Unit Button instantly converts between 5 units of measurements (g, lbs, lbs:oz, oz, ml) and displays result...
12. Kitchen Scale - Bakers Math Kitchen Scale - KD8000 Scale by My Weight, Silver
Sentiment score: 0
Number of reviews: 2
PERCENTAGE: Percentage weighing function great for baking and soap makingMODES: Large, 8000 gram capacity / 4 additional weighing modes: lbs, lbs/oz, oz and kgEASY CLEAN: Easy to clean stainless steel platformSHIELD: Hinged gunk shield for messy applicationsDISPLAY: Bright backlit weight display
13. Flower dried tea premium Butterfly pea Tea bags Blue Colour
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 1
Flower dried tea premium Butterfly pea Tea bags Blue Colour30 teabags
16. Kitchen Supply 13 Inch x 17 Inch Parchment Paper
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Non-Stick Surface, No Pre-Greasing NecessaryParchment Sheet Can Be Cut to Different Sizes with a ScissorThis Super Parchment Paper is Easy to Clean by Hand or on Top Rack of DishwasherReusable and easy to storeWorks in Conventional, Convection, or Microwave Ovens
17. Sourdough: Recipes for Rustic Fermented Breads, Sweets, Savories, and More
Sentiment score: -1
Number of reviews: 1
ROOST
18. The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Used Book in Good Condition
I assume you have the combo cooker since you say you put the bread in the deeper part of it. The walls of the dutch oven/combo cooker should not be there to keep the doughs shape. All it does is give the dough a steamy environment for it to rise properly in the oven (called oven spring). Using the lid will eliminate the need for parchment paper (you can dust some corn meal or spread some oil on it) and is the combo cooker's strength when it comes to baking bread. You can also score it right after you've placed it on the lid.
The way I do it (I only have a dutch oven and not a combo cooker) is cut some parchment paper to a little bigger than the proofing basket. I then put my cutting board on top and flip everything. You should be able to hear the dough exit the basket. I then score the bread before I lift and gently place it into the dutch oven, which has been in the oven preheating at 260 degrees. I put the lid on and wait 20 minutes before I remove the lid, lower the temperature to 230 and bake for another 20-30 minutes. The finished dough should have an internal temperature of 95-100. I've had great success with this method. Here
Now, I can't stress this enough: the dutch oven/combo cooker should not be there to support your dough's shape. If it is you are not shaping it/developing the gluten enough. You might get some good bread either way, but you will never get that open crumb structure that everyone's after. If you want to get a nice open crumb here is what you do:
Hope this helps and wasn't too long of a description. Good luck with future bakes!
I picked up the LoafNest on Prime Day from Amazon. I have always been intrigued since their Kickstarted campaign but could not justify the price. When it showed up it was a bit smaller that I would have guessed but Amazon's return policy was a huge factor in what made me pull the trigger. Like the directions suggest, I made the first loaf as per their recipe. It is basically the NYT no-knead recipe. It turned out decent. I made another, tweaking the recipe slightly that had better results. I was always planning on using this for sourdough and actually grew to like the smaller size as there are only two of us in the house and it is rare that we get through and entire loaf/boulle. I have also been wanting to experiment with einkorn so this was also a first. I did not follow any recipe (nor keep notes) but I tried to keep the total flour near 400g to fit in the LoafNest liner. I used about 200g water, 90g of starter and 8g of kosher salt. 5-ish hours autolyse while the starter was developing. I had to add water and then more flour when I was mixing because einkorn is like modeling clay when it gets wet. Four total stretch and folds with 30 minute rest periods between, a pre-shape, then a final shape and into the banneton. I let it rest for 30 minutes then into the refrigerator for 16 hours to cold proof. Preheated the LoafNest at 475f for 30 minutes then scored the dough straight from the fridge and into the liner. 2 ice cubes into the base of the LoafNest, put the top on and set it in the oven. Reduced the temp to 450f for 40 minutes. Removed the lid and let it go for an additional 5 minutes and here we are.
Yup! I can explain no problem. So to make this dough I am actually making 4 tiny doughs. for the
turmeric I use
- 25g of starter
-80g water
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 100g flour
-2g salt
Charcoal
https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Charcoal-Powder-Certified-Whitening/dp/B07DWH5JYG/ref=sr_1_6?crid=33HAZY20HMN7Z&keywords=food+grade+charcoal+powder&qid=1574600628&sprefix=food+grade+char%2Caps%2C176&sr=8-6
I use organic food grade charcoal i got off amazon, its jet black and adds no flavour or taste. so for this loaf I use
-25g starter
-80g water
-1/4 tsp charcoal
-100g flour
-2g salt
Butterfly pea flower
https://www.amazon.com/Flower-dried-premium-Butterfly-Colour/dp/B07R8MCXKT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AQYFZ47GL0EE&keywords=butterfly+pea+flower+tea&qid=1574600592&sprefix=butterfly+pea+%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1
I use butterfly pea flowers imported from thailand that I get off amazon. They're a purple flower that you steep in hot water like a tea and it turns the water DEEP purple/blue. let it steep for an hour or so, strain and use THAT instead of water
-25g starter
-80g steeped water
-100g flour
-2g salt
white--the final dough double the size of the previous doughs, and is just a standard white soudough. its double because half will be used as colour contrast in the middle, and half will be used as a wrap on the outside
-50g starter
-160g water
-200g flour
-4g salt
so no you have your four bowls of dough. at this point they should be very vibrant in colour. bulk rise them as you would.
When you're ready to do the shaping, remove all doughs from their bowls onto the counter, and immediately divide the white dough in half and place away for the time being. with the four remaining quaters of dough, divide each of those in half, so now you have 8 little piles of little dough.
Start with any colour. I chose a black piece, and laminate it on the counter (mist counter with water, and stretch the dough on the counter top as stretchy as it'll go without ripping. plop another colour on top of the black and stretch it on top keep going switching colours. when youre done with all the dough, fold the entire thing letter style, then roll into a ball. Bench rest for 15 minutes or so. After 15 minutes mist the counter again and laminate the white dough we reserved. dust the top of the coloured dough with rice flour and use your bench scraper to scoop it up and place it rice flour side down in the center of the laminated white dough. fold the white dough around the coloured dough like a present and place seam side up in a proofing basket. let rest 1 hour or up to 24 hours in the fridge.
When ready to bake, flip seam side down onto parchment, make your scores swift and shallow to just slice through the first layer, and bake as you would any other bread
Hope this helps!
It's a process and not one that can be done very quickly. If you are interested in purchasing, I bought this one off Amazon recently. It's very easy to get going.
Breadtopia Sourdough Starter (Live) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002C0E5VG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_1W12CbDR3H2VW
10 yrs ago I bought a dried one off Cultures of Health. It took a bit more to get going but once it did, it was amazing! I only gave it up 5 yrs ago when I had mono for nearly a year and couldn't keep it up.
I initially tried it on my own. I was in the Detroit area so I don't know if the yeast in the area wasn't as good or what. I'm in another part of the country now and didn't want to repeat that since I knew it was easy & inexpensive to get that great San Francisco flavor! 😋
I have a lot of bread books, and I will recommend Hamelman's Bread until I die. And then I will be cremated with it.
I've been baking bread professionally for 6 or 7 years and it is, by far, the book I reference the most. Accessible for beginners, but substantial enough for a professional. The levain (sourdough) section is wonderful and informative.
I rarely recommend Tartine for beginners. Chad's high hydration doughs can be really unforgiving for some and will quickly deter the less... determined. That being said, if you find yourself enjoying the pursuit, Chad Robertson is the king of artisan bread in the States, and that book does have a lot to offer. I do love it.
Also, I generally suggest avoiding Peter Reinhart when it comes to learning sourdough.
/u/buddyguything knows what’s up. My starter did this once and I started a new one simultaneously with only dark rye flour. I slowly blended the two together when the rye starter was about 7 days old because I didn’t want to loose that unique tang my original girl had. It worked far better than I had hoped and she bounced back like crazy. I now use a 50/50 mix of dark rye and unbleached white flour (just for taste preference) with dechlorinated water to feed my girl. I like the flavour the dark rye gives the loaves and because of its lower gluten content I find it’s much easier to mix up. Check out The Perfect Loaf. His method is what I used and he has a great section on how to start and maintain a wicked starter. Or better yet borrow or get yourself a copy of FWSY if you don’t have it already. Combining the methods those two bakers use has really upped my starter and sourdough game. Let us know how it worked out!
There’s nothing wrong with the recipe in principal - if that’s the bread you like, it’s the bread you should make. But if you plan to continue to progress as a bread maker, IMO the first thing you should do is learn about baker’s math, and begin measuring your ingredients by weight as opposed to volume. Here is the King Arthur Flour introduction to baker’s math. They use pounds, but I recommend using grams, as it makes the calculations a bit simpler. Besides weight being a much more precise way to measure ingredients than volume, the reason baker’s math is important is that it creates a standardization for comparing formulas, so that bakers can determine some characteristics of a dough before they decide to mix it.
If you don’t already have one, a food scale is under $20 and worth having around just for baking but I use mine for other cooking purposes regularly.
Check out Peter Reinhart's "The Bread Bakers Apprentice" for the science and an in depth breakdown.
Check here for a shorter version.
Suffice to say that longer, cold fermentation favours the types of bacteria that break down starches and create more complex flavours (nutty, toasty to me). When you're only using three ingredients in a bread, it is your job to illicit as much flavour from those as possible.
Typical bread yeast is engineered to be fast acting, produce tons of carbon dioxide very quickly, and tends to not spit out much in the way of flavours. Hence the need for other ingredients like milk, butter, eggs, sugars, dough conditioners, etc. Great for a tangzhong milk bread, challah, or similar fluffy american white sandwich bread, but not so much for a complexly flavoured sourdough.
Both have their place in a bakers arsenal of flavour control.
Edit: A longer countertop rise would lead the bacteria & yeast to chew through all the available starches too quickly, resulting in a flatter loaf with a more liquid consistency before baking. This is really good if you're making focaccia or cibatta breads but your salt content needs to be much higher to offset and slow the fermentation down.
Yeah! It's from Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish. Great book, highly recommend. http://www.amazon.com/Flour-Water-Salt-Yeast-Fundamentals/dp/160774273X
I'm using the lodge cast iron combo cooker and I really like it. It is good because you can bake with it upside down, like a bread
ovencloche (using the bottom on the top acting as a large domed lid).https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?adgrpid=57694863284&hvadid=274716765092&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9022196&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4040917449113359869&hvtargid=kwd-302136551955&keywords=lodge+combo+cooker&qid=1555722764&s=gateway&sr=8-2
5 qt might be a bit small for a recipe of that size. Any chance you could simply scale it into a smaller loaf?
Also, if you do get a 5 qt, I might recommend this one instead, since the flat lid allows you to place your dough in and then use the pot as the lid and slide it into the oven.
what size oblong banneton do you use? sounds like you make the same size loaf as me, (500g flour), and I'm terrible at guessing what size to get. I was thinking about this one which is 9.7 x 5.7
I use this one for my boule loaves and it's perfect. I love it.
Okay, a couple of things: First, it would probably help if you could get a dutch oven or combo cooker. For example, this one. For bread baking, you use the shallow part as the base, and the deep part as the lid. There's less risk of burning yourself this way.
Second, it wasn't clear from what you wrote already, but make sure that your starter is sill active when you mix it into your dough. This usually means using it within maybe 4 hours of feeding it. Or, if you're letting it ferment overnight, then feed it a smaller quantity so it's still rising in the morning.
Third, you don't actually want it to form a dry skin before baking. Many recipes have the final proof done upside down in a basket, so what will be the top of the loaf does not have much chance to dry out. Generally, you would shape it and immediately transfer it to a basket (banneton) for final proof. Some folks use a bowl lined with floured cloth instead. After the proof is over, transfer it directly to the dutch oven, slash the top if you want, and bake immediately. This means preheating the oven while the dough is still in the fridge.
I recently purchased a Mercer bread knife on Amazon, and I love it! It works really well with crusty bread and large boules. Here's a link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PS1HS6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4pW2BbNPACA2E
All the loaves I've baked out of Bien Cuit have been really, really good. Not your typical white sourdough loaf but really rich in flavor.
I keep recommending this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LEXR0K
I have a different 5 qt Lodge that is a good size for the loaf you're looking to bake. I like this one more because you can bake the loaf in the lid.
You might benefit from the direct, thought over style of a book then. I found Ken Forkish' [FWSY](http://www.Flour.com/ Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza https://www.amazon.com/dp/160774273X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5E6ZAb6E7J4NC) to be a much better use of my time and energy than trying to piece together the knowledge from a bunch of different sources on the internet.
thanks! i'm using theLodge 3qt combo cooker - i had the same concerns but in the end it was more than enough space. not sure how it would handle a loaf of a more oblong shape, but i'm very pleased so far!
I managed a puff!
Recipe from [this book](Artisan Sourdough Made Simple: A Beginner's Guide to Delicious Handcrafted Bread with Minimal Kneading https://www.amazon.com/dp/1624144292/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_bhHzCbP2XEMJ1).
100g starter (fed and bubbly)
180g warm water
7g honey
15g olive oil
150g AP Flour
120g Whole Wheat Flour
3g salt
Mix dough, rest 30 min, work into a smooth ball.
Bulk rise for 6-8 hours.
Shape into 8 balls, and rest for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450° with a baking stone on the bottom shelf.
Roll to 1/4" thick. Bake 3-4 mins. Look at that puff.
I bought this set and it comes with a little dough scraper and cloth that has been working great!
Recipe and techniques taken directly from the ever-popular FWSY by Ken Forkish. This was my first attempt at the Overnight Country Blonde, and I was really happy with how this loaf turned out!
I use the ones below. They’re usable, I can cut them to fit whatever pan I’m using, and they’re good up to 550!
these
https://www.amazon.com/Tartine-Bread-Chad-Robertson/dp/0811870413
This book was my gospel when I first got into baking sourdough. After going through months of online research I thought I had a decent idea how to go about it all. This book has all of that info. Watch any video with Chad Robertson on YouTube also.
Has an incredible bakery in San Fran and went about figuring out how a home baker could make bakery quality breads. Use a Dutch oven.
Feel free to message me for more tips.
Keep away from the commercial yeast. Your starter is probably not active enough, and your gluten not strong enough.
A lot of people, including myself, had success using the recipes and techniques in Flour Water Salt Yeast. You’ll see many posts talking about “FWSY” — it’s this book. Give it a try!
I suggest checking out, "The Bread Exchange." This is a very cool book in general, and it's where I learned to make my bread. https://www.amazon.com/Bread-Exchange-Recipes-Journey-Bartering/dp/1452119627
It's a cast iron skillet (or Dutch oven), like [this] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Utopia-Kitchen-Pre-Seasoned-Cooker-Skillet/dp/B06W2JMRF6)
I used a cheap enameled dutch oven from Target for years, and never had any problem with it. I heated it empty all the time, and I just wrapped the plastic handle in foil. However, if you're using it exclusively for baking I'd recommend getting the Lodge Combo Cooker instead. I find it much more convenient to place the loaves on the shallow "lid" part and use the deep "pot" part as the lid. Fewer burned hands and lopsided loaves.
I wouldn't use an actual Enamel Dutch Oven for baking sourdough. I did that for a while and it ruined the enamel coating.
I use this now specifically for bread and it works great:
https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LCC3-Cooker-Pre-Seasoned-3-2-Quart/dp/B0009JKG9M
There's a simpler take on techniques used by Chad Robertson in his book, Tartine Bread.
I have 2 Lodge 5q "combo cookers" I make all of my bread in. I prefer a combo cooker because I put my bread on the preheated skillet side and put the pot on top as the lid, this way you don't have to reach down the sides or flip a hot loaf out of hot Dutch oven.
https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DD3-Double-Dutch-5-Quart/dp/B000LEXR0K
The one from tartine book 1
Tartine Bread https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0811870413/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WuP8ybM7QCX15
I picked up this baby a couple months ago and it REALLY helped out my slicing game: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PS1HS6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I used a variation of the tin bread recipe in this book: https://www.amazon.com/Sourdough-Casper-Andre-Lugg/dp/1911130056/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504038849&sr=1-1&keywords=sourdough+casper
It is fairly close to the tartine method.
My variation was mostly taking more time for the bulk rise as I left it rise overnight, and using 20% rye flour, with 80% King Arthur bread flour.
Lodge 4.73 litre / 5 quart Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven (with Loop Handles) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000LEXR0K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_QGW7Bb4JA36GW
Cooked in an enamel roaster. Used a combination of fig jam and lime cordial and Artisan Sourdough made simple methods. In short, 50g starter, 375ml water, 500g flour and 9g salt. Mixed, rested for 1 hour. Light knead then proved for 10 hours. Shaped and put in banneton for 2 hours before cooking.
I was thinking about getting this one.
I baked this in a Lodge Combo Cooker (https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LCC3-Cooker-Pre-Seasoned-3-2-Quart/dp/B0009JKG9M).
I baked for 20 minutes at 500F, then popped off the lid and let it go for another 5 minutes at 500F. I then dropped the temperature to 450 and baked for about another 20-22 minutes until the crust was where I wanted it.
I haven't baked it yet (just jumping into sourdough), but Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson has a walnut sourdough loaf that you could add some cranberries to.
What does everyone think of these vs the slightly larger double dutch oven without the frypan-style handles? I'm about to buy one or the other for upside-down bread baking and not sure which to go for.
9 Inch Bread Banneton Proofing Basket - Baking Bowl Dough Gifts for Bakers Proving Baskets for Sourdough Lame Bread Slashing Scraper Tool Starter Jar Proofing Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GM4UZJI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Tn0pDb6DJSQ4M
Dust with 50/50 rice/bread flour before putting your dough in for the final rise overnight and you get perfect rings!
Man...I've lived in Bellwood, Broadview, and Forest Park. I'm no longer in state, but if I was, I'd hook you up.
You CAN make your own starter, though...or order from amazon, which is where I got mine..
There's also a website that will apparently just send you some starter for the price of postage.
I couldn't find her recipe online but I used this book https://www.amazon.com/Sourdough-Recipes-Rustic-Fermented-Savories/dp/1611802385 (from amazon) on the recommendation of another sourdough baker.
My only problem was that it wasn't quite flavorful enough so I'm going to try and leaven longer next time.
I'm still learning but I do have some comments for you. Regarding the salt + 50g water - keep that step as is. You need that extra bit of water to get the salt to dissolve and mix into the dough.
One thing I've done to help with shaping (my nemesis) is reduce the water content. You won't get exactly the same crust and crumb, but no one will know and it still tastes fucking amazing. Try 50g less and see how that goes. I also use a LOT more flour than recommended with shaping. I kept losing surface tension from the dough sticking to my hand or bench scraper and it would have a massive impact on how my bread turned out l. Sad and deflated bread from that. I also watched a ton of videos on shaping and tried a bunch of different techniques until I found what worked for me.
I do my bulk fermentation on the counter, shape, put into bannetons and then fridge overnight. I don't think that part makes much of a difference.
Last tip: transferring the dough to the hot as hell Dutch oven. Get a Dutch oven that has a lid that doubles for a pan like this one. Then you can bake in the smaller side and don't have to put your hands near the tall sides. I also flip my dough out of the bannetons onto a parchment lined pizza peel. I slash it there and then drag it from the peel to the Dutch oven using the parchment. Lid (the big side) then goes on and you're good! Preheat the lid next to the bottom too so you don't have to lift if off, add bread, and then put it on. Saves one very hot step from the process.
Ok. One last last last thing. Slashing. I sucked at this for a long time. Asked on here and someone told me speed is key and they were absolutely right. Watch a few videos of professionals and you'll see they make the slashes very fast and don't meet a lot of resistance or drag from the dough.
G'luck!