bread: shaping a loaf

[MousyMouse]

instead of using a tin...
how to go about it without ending up with a very flat bread?

It should hold its shape.

I would make it into a ball and then sort of pat it into an ovalish kind of thing.

I wonder if you tube has any good tutorials.

here

That one is good. if you ignore the spanking

I wonder if my dough is just too wet (2 cups of water + tbs oil for 600g flour) or that I should use a prooving basket?

For 600g flour I think you need around 350-400ml water. Im not sure what that is in cups.

Dont know what a proving basket is either. I just use the bowl.

If your dough wont hold its shape then it does sound too wet. Some breads are better with a wet dough like focaccia. But its flat. For a loaf my dough is always elastic and smooth and non sticky by the time I have finished kneading.

one cup of water is a little bit more than 200ml, will try and reduce or next time.