every time I try to bake bread it always comes out fucking awful.

To get the big holes you need a high hydration dough

>>8901970
>What the fuck am I doing wrong
Everything.

It's fucking bread.

>>8902000
what the fuck does that even mean...?
are you saying the dough has to be really wet and gooey

>>8902009
Yes.

Score it, make sure you proof your dough for a long enough time and follow a recipe. If you're freehanding it then cut open your failed breads, see what it lacks (it's too dry, too flaky) and accomodate.

>>8902165
whenever I cut open my finished breads, its never soft.
Hard like some kind of biscuit, even though I used yeast with very little rising and bubbles.

Also the taste is fucking terrible. Bread usually has a sweet or neutral taste, but my loaves just taste like pure yeast.

>>8902182
What's the recipe you're using?

of course you could try putting it in, you know, a loaf pan... this would prevent the dough from spreading out and making a big round bread-pimple...

>>8902192
I just eyeball everything.

Use a bunch of cups of flour and like a teaspoon of yeast. a tablespoon of sugar, and add water whenever it looks too dry.

then I beat it like my step kids until I feel like its had enough and put it in the oven for like 50 mins

I honestly have no idea on how you would fuck up bread.
So let's go (gonna use some SI units, so use google to convert if you need):

First mix a deciliter of water with a teaspoon of dry yeast in a bowl (make sure the yeast dissolves).
Once mixed add 2 deciliters of milk.
Add 2 tbsp of sugar and 1-2 teaspoons of salt and dissolve it all.
Now add flour until it has a nice consistency (5-6 deciliters of flour should do), and knead it until it's not sticky any more.
put it into a flour-dusted bowl, with a teatowel covering it and let it proof for an hour.
After the hour is up, knock the air out of the dough, put the dough on a flour-dusted surface and roll into a sausage, that is as long as your baking tray.
Place it on your baking tray and cover with a teatowel, start preheating your oven to 250 C.
Let the dough rise for 30-60 mins.
Once the dough has risen, brush it generously with water and put it into the oven.
After 10-15 mins turn down the oven to 200 C and let your bread stay in there, until you have cooked it for a total of 30-35 mins.

>>8901970
>>8901970
without another anon next to you, from start to finish, it's going to be pretty tough to see where your going wrong.

so, we're gunna need more information.

What is your recipe?
What are you attempting to create?
What are you using to measure?
Are you autolysing the dough? if so, how long for, and under what conditions?
Are you proving the dough? If so, how long for and under what conditions?
What are you using to bake? What are the conditions of your baking? ei, temperature, duration, humidity, placement?


From the pic, I would say you have bad gluten development, followed by over proving, followed by too high a temp or too long in the oven, or both.

If you can answer the above questions, I might be able to hep you further.

Bake it in a pre-heated Dutch oven. It'll retain moisture, and it'll cook at the hotter temps of baking ovens. Conventional ovens don't get hot enough.

File: 1487801809019.jpg (28KB, 480x480px) Image search: [Google]

28KB, 480x480px

>>8902226
>so let's go (gonna use some SI units
>Add 2 tbsp of sugar and 1-2 teaspoons
>5-6 deciliters of flour should do

>>8902226
What is your recipe?
several cups of flour
teaspoon of yeast
tblspoon of sugar
a few liters of water

Mix it all together and you know we got the best of both worlds.

>What are you attempting to create?
just regular bread for like soups and sandwhiches

>What are you using to measure?
my eyes

>Are you autolysing the dough?

What the hell is that?

>Are you proving the dough?
You mean pounding it? yes

What are you using to bake?
Standard oven. usually bake it at like 350 F 45 min to an hour

>>8902269
mate, that is like recommending a 4x4 to someone who only drives on the highway.

If OP is attempting to create something which recommends a dutch oven, then your suggestion is advisable. At the moment its just a shot in the dark which could be totally not fit for purpose.

File: 1473143529153.jpg (28KB, 500x347px) Image search: [Google]

28KB, 500x347px

>>8902276
>a few liters of water
I guess no we're not taking this seriously.

>>8902219

Buy a scale and use it.

>>8902276
Proofing dough means you leave it alone to let the yeast do it's work and it puffs up. Generally get a large glass bowl, lightly oil the surface and throw your dough in. Cover with a towel and leave in a warm place for a few hours or so

Weigh your ingredients carefully. Don't fuck it up. Keep track of what you're doing. OBSERVE what is happening.

Try https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread

It's foolproof. Takes time but it produces a PROFOUND loaf of bread.

>>8902276
You're missing salt as well.

File: 1488832714578.jpg (47KB, 500x375px) Image search: [Google]

47KB, 500x375px

>>8902276
contrary to the other anon, I can see how you're fucking this up.

You're not taking it seriously.

Do you research. Practice. Practice. Practice. Review. Improve.

>>8902310
For that particular loaf, I let it sit for like 7 hours during the yeasting process

File: weebay12873.gif (554KB, 281x202px) Image search: [Google]

554KB, 281x202px

>>8902219
>I just eyeball everything.

>>8902276
Pounding it a lot creates gluten and makes the dough more "solid", there won't be much airy pockets in the break when it's baked.

>>8902219
> I used yeast with very little rising
>I just eyeball everything.
>beat it like my step kids until I feel like its had enough
The main problem is probably you're pounding it too much. If you pound too much you'll flatten all the air buttles the yeast worked hard to fart out.

You're going to have to put up some pictures of one of your attempts or I'm just going to assume this is a troll baiting for /ck/ rage.

>>8901970
waste of a thread taking up space.

jans should delete

>>8902380
>air buttles
Meant air buttholes, sorry

>>8902382
yeah we need room for the mcchicken and taco bell threads

>>8901970
Go here and read beginner information and try your hand at beginner loafs following instructions. Then come here and ask questions. Until then, never post abou bread again.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/

You can also just watch videos on it, takes 10 minutes to see a general recipe and technique, if you're so keen on doing it freehand then at least research to that extent.

Don't come back until you have memorized every recipe.

Breadworld.con

File: 18280792_10155256056629808_1893381224_n.jpg (28KB, 480x640px) Image search: [Google]

28KB, 480x640px

>>8901970
Novice baker here - My biggest mistake so far has been under-proving. Makes the dough dense, harder to bake. Don't eyeball things. This japanese-style bread came out well (if a bit salty) - Logistics meant I had to change little things (milk instead of powdered milk) but don't deviate from the recipe unless you have to

>>8902621
Also please excuse the fucking slither.io thing on top - I wasn't trying to be artsy I just cut the dough badly and had some excess

I always tried kneading by hand and I kept thinking I needed to add flour because it stayed (what I thought) was too sticky. I got a stand mixer, let the dough hook do it's thing, trusted the timing, and tried not to force my inexperience on it. My bread started turning out great. Use a recipe. Get a stand mixer. Trust the instructions, not yourself. At least not until you see what makes the bread good.

>>8902274
well spotted sir!

File: 1491746951478.gif (3MB, 264x240px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 264x240px

>>8902219
>I beat my dough
>my bread is never soft