By Jessie Sheehan for Food Network Kitchen
Jessie Sheehan is a baker and cookbook author.
High-altitude cooking gets a really bad rap—and we admit it: some of it is justified. There’s nothing more frustrating than spending time and energy making something delicious, only to find that, despite your best efforts, your cake has fallen AND is dry, your cookies have smeared AND are tough, your pie crust is brittle, your bread has risen and fallen, and your muffins are bitter. Just writing this makes us sad. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to guide you to success at high altitude.
Before trying the tips and tweaks, however, you might want to consider trying the recipe as written. We know that sounds a bit pointless and potentially messy if things go as planned (i.e. wrong). But there is always the possibility that the recipe works. For example, there is some disagreement about whether cookies even need adjustments when baking on the mountain. Some say yes and others say no. The same goes for pie crust, muffins and tea buns – some say they really won’t be affected, and others say the opposite. In short, the beauty of trying the recipe as written is that even if things don’t go well, you can fix it precisely next time. Making a whole bunch of changes before you even start, hoping that one of them will fix a problem you haven’t yet identified, is a bit of a hassle.
Finally, whether you wait to adjust after making the recipe once, or adjust initially, remember that none of the adjustments we’re going to suggest will work for every recipe, 100% of the time. Some can work at certain altitudes and not at others; or for one house on your block, and not for another. Patience and flexibility are key, as is a taste for adventure (and treats).
How does high altitude affect cooking?
Cooking is affected by high altitude because air pressure decreases as you rise above sea level, and a decrease in pressure affects cooking quite profoundly. First, the liquids evaporate faster due to the low pressure, causing the baked goods to dry out. Lower pressure also boils liquids at a lower temperature than at sea level, causing baked goods to rise too quickly – often before they’re properly set – and then collapse. . Finally, gases produced by leavening agents (such as baking powder and baking soda) expand and react faster at lower pressure, creating tunnels and holes in batters and batters, resulting in products bakeries that lack structure and stability.
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How should I adjust a recipe when cooking at high altitude?
While we really believe you should try a recipe once as written before modifying it for high altitude, here are some general tweaks to consider when “cooking in the mountains” as they say ( or maybe we’re just saying that?!).
1) First, you can increase your oven temperature by 25% and decrease the cooking time by 5-6 minutes per 30 minutes of “sea level” cooking time. The shorter time spent in a hotter oven prevents the baked product from losing moisture and rising too quickly (and gases have less time to spoil the structure of the baked product).
2) Second, you can decrease the sugar in the recipe by 1-3 tablespoons per cup. The sugar concentrates due to the inevitable evaporation of the liquid, and such concentration can cause your baked product to collapse.
3) Due to how quickly the gases produced by your leavening agents expand, you may want to decrease the baking powder or baking soda in your recipe by 15-25%.
4) Increase the liquid in your recipe (because some inevitably evaporates) by adding another egg or using an extra-large one; or add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water per cup of flour.
5) Decrease the fat in your recipe as it inadvertently weakens the structure of your baked good. Because fat breaks down gluten, making baked goods tender, it can hamper your high-altitude baking efforts, contributing to a crumbled cake or cookie.
6) Replace all-purpose flour with high-protein flour, as it will provide more structure to your baked good, which – we hope we’ve made clear – you want/need when baking at high altitudes!
3) Due to how quickly the gases produced by your leavening agents expand, you may want to decrease the baking powder or baking soda in your recipe by 15-25%.
How do you adjust a cake recipe for high altitude?
Using the adjustments suggested above, when baking a cake at high altitude, consider adding an extra egg to increase the liquid in your recipe, as well as decreasing the sugar to avoid a cake with a sunken center . You can also use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour and decrease the sourdough and fat. To avoid a dry cake, increase your oven temperature, decrease your cooking time, and add a little extra liquid (about 1-2 tablespoons at 3000 feet and an additional 1½ teaspoons for every additional 1000 feet of elevation ). And if your cake overflows in the oven, try reducing the sourdough, increasing the oven temperature, and decreasing the baking time the next time you give the recipe a whirl.
How do I adjust a cookie recipe for high altitude?
Many believe that cookie recipes do not need to be adjusted. But if you don’t get the results you want after trying a recipe, you can add a little liquid and increase the oven temperature, especially if your cookies are baking dry. You can also decrease your sourdough if they fall apart after baking. And to give them structure (if they’re having trouble “holding together”, so to speak), try reducing the fat or sugar content and adding a little flour or replacing the flour with bread by all-purpose.
How do you adjust a pie crust recipe for high altitude?
Generally, pie crust recipes translate well from sea level to mountains. But if you notice that your crust seems very brittle when baked, you can try adding a little extra water and making the dough slightly more moist.
How do you adjust a bread recipe for high altitude?
When baking bread at high altitude, your rise time will be much shorter than at sea level. Consider decreasing the amount of yeast in the recipe by about 25% and refrigerating the dough when first rise, to slow the action of the yeast and allow the flavors of the bread to develop.
How do I adjust muffin and quick bread recipes for high altitude?
Like pie crust and cookies, many believe that little or no adjustment is needed when baking muffins or quick bread at high altitudes. But if your muffins or bread have a slightly bitter or alkaline flavor, consider lowering the amount of yeast in the recipe slightly.
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