this post was submitted on 23 Feb 2026
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Bready
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Nice job.
The crumb looks a little dense to me. I'm guessing due to shaping issues. Did you do this freeform or did you use a loaf pan? Loaf pan is generally preferable for beginners because the pan provides a lot of support. With freeform loaves if it's not shaped correctly it will often collapse. Generally when you're shaping you want two things: internal structure, and a tightly stretched skin over the top. I think a lot of beginner recipes don't teach this very well, since I often see first loaves that look like they were assembled into a shape but not really using proper techniques.
I did use a very, very simple video tutorial for my first loaf. It involved practically no shaping, and because I kind of did this on a whim (genuinely stopping after work to buy the yeast and flour to make it that night), I did not have a proper loaf pan. I used an 8" square pan instead haha.
I have since acquired a loaf pan! And a dough scraper/cutter.
IT BEGINS . . .
King Arthur has great videos on shaping. Here's a short one on how to form a sandwich loaf. You can see that there are several internal folds which create structure, and the folding and sealing creates tension on the outer layer which traps gas inside the loaf as it rises and later cooks. Good luck!