Baking At An Altitude

Baking at an altitude can be quite a challenge and for the inexperienced baker it can be frustrating and disappointing when cakes and cookies keep turning out badly or collapsing in the oven. However if you are baking at a higher altitude there are ways to get around this problem. With a little knowledge and some tips and tricks you’ll be baking like a pro no matter the altitude.

The reason that altitude affects our food so strangely has a lot to do with water and air. The higher the elevation is the lower the boiling point of water is - which can mean a lot of different things for cooking and baking. The lower the boiling temperature of water, the longer it takes to cook your food in (or over) water and the longer it takes dense and moist batters to bake all the way through. That means you have to cook food longs and calculate the moisture within them as well as the temperature because too long with too little moisture will produce charcoal which isn’t fun for anyone. The higher up you are the faster the moisture in your batter will evaporate and it can weaken the structure of whatever you’re baking. It can also make flavors less pronounced as well as make your baked goods go stale more rapidly than they would otherwise. Plus the higher your elevation the faster leavening gases will expand which can make cakes rise and fall too quickly, egg whites can expand and cause a cake to collapse, yeast breads and doughs can easily over-proof.

When it comes to cakes you may want to strengthen the batter by reducing sugar or adding eggs as well as a little bit more flour. Acidity will help the batter set a little better so using buttermilk instead of milk or even sour cream or yogurt is very helpful. You can also increase the baking temperature by twenty-five degrees or so and if there is an altitude adjustment for your recipe make sure to take note of that as well. Pies tend to fair a little better but they can get dry and will take a bit longer to bake at high altitudes. Cookies work pretty much the same until about seven thousand feet up but they can spread out a little too much and they may get a bit tough if you aren’t careful. A little more liquid and a little less sugar or fat usually does the trick but be careful of heat increases - just a slight increase should do just fine. With breads or muffins that don’t have yeast in them you can just reduce the baking soda but don’t leave it out completely as well as adding a bit more flour to strengthen the batter. An increase in oven temperature is best here as well. Breads that do include yeast also need adjustments as they tend to rise too rapidly at higher elevations. You can use a bit less yeast, punch your dough down more often, and always remember the salt! Salt slows the growth of yeast and will help keep your rising dough under control.

Overall baking at an altitude doesn’t have to be frustrating or disappointing just as long as you’re willing to be careful and make a few adjustments to your recipes. Take the time to learn how to bake well at a high altitude and you’ll be able to bake anytime anywhere.