Hard crusts or loaves etc. mean that the baking temperature was too low or the baking was too long or the dough was not kneaded properly at the beginning, so next time when you knead the dough follow these tips:

1. Make sure that the water or the milk used for kneading the dough is warm, remember it's not hot but warm because hot water destroys the yeast activity, so make sure that the water temperature is as hot as your fingers can handle.

2. Knead the dough well, preferably for 8-10 minutes to reach an almost sticky consistency, then pat a little oil on the palm of your hand and spread it over the entire ball of dough, and finally allow it to rise as described in the recipe.

3. Make sure you preheat the oven before placing the bread baking pan in the oven.

4. Add a little milk to the egg yolks and brush them over the entire loaf before baking, as the milk helps the bread stay soft and the yolks give it a nice color.

5. The standard baking temperature for bread is between 180°C and 200°C, so keep the oven within this temperature range unless the recipe says otherwise.

6. If the oven has separate heating for the bottom and top racks, don't turn both on immediately - use the bottom rack first, then turn on the top heat switch halfway through for even heating.

7. With the exception of individual slices of bread, it usually takes 12-20 minutes for bread to bake well, so if the bread doesn't have enough color after that time, you can turn up the temperature a little, but be sure to keep a close eye on it to avoid scorching.

8. Immediately after baking, brush a little butter onto the bread while it's still hot and cover with a cloth to keep it moist and soft.