Heaven on Earth

Heaven on Earth

Monday, August 30, 2010

High Altitude Baking and Candy Making

You may have noticed that I talk about adjusting recipes for my altitude whenever I post about baking.  I bake at 4,200 ft. and 5,800 ft. above sea level.  Air pressure is less at higher altitudes.  Very simply put, it means that water boils in less time and there is less force pushing down on your baked goods so it takes less leavening, less time to rise, and sometimes it even takes less baking time than it would at sea level.

Determine what your altitude is and adjust your recipes accordingly.  It sounds hard but it is really very simple.  It's scientific, and I've tried to explain it very simply below.

I want to make candy. How do I adjust for high altitudes and how can I find the temperature at which water boils in my area?  
  • Clip a candy thermometer to the side of a pan.  Fill it with water, put it on your stove, and wait for it to boil.  As soon as it reaches a rolling boil, look at the temperature that is registered on your thermometer.  This is the boiling point for your altitude.  At sea level, water boils at 212 degrees F.  At my city home, it boils at 202 degrees F. and in the country it boils at 198 degrees F.  That means when a recipe tells me to bring something to a certain temperature and I am in the city, I automatically adjust my temperature downward by 10 degrees.  For example; if a candy recipe says I should cook my syrup to 238 degrees F. I would only cook my syrup to 228 degrees F. to adjust for my altitude.  Correct altitude adjustments are essential in candy making.  What if your thermometer is old or not calibrated properly?  No problem; just note the temperature that water boils on your thermometer before making candy and adjust the recipe from the boiling point on your thermometer.
What about cookie recipes?  Do they need to be adjusted?  Yes, they do. 
  • For cookies, add 1 Tablespoon of extra flour to the specified amount; decrease the sugar slightly, and use 3/4 the amount of the baking powder or soda (leavening) called for in your recipe. Your cookies will not flatten out and run.

How do I adjust cake recipes for high altitudes? 
  • Sea level to 3,000 ft. -  under-beat the eggs just a bit in your batter or raise your baking temperature by 25 degrees F (this helps "set" the cake before it can fall). 
  • 3,000 ft to 5,000 ft. -  reduce the baking powder or soda by 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon for each teaspoon specified in the original recipe.  Decrease the sugar 1 to 2 Tablespoons per cup of sugar in the original recipe.  Increase the liquid 2 to 3 Tablespoons for each cup specified in the original recipe.
  • As your elevation increases just decrease the leavening and sugar a little bit more and increase the liquid.  You will want to experiment to find the amounts that are right for your altitude.  It just takes a little trial and error and your cakes will be beautiful.  Watch them as they make bake faster at higher altitudes.
How do I adjust for bread and dough? 
  • You will want to decrease your yeast, sugar and raise time a bit for high altitudes.  This will be determined by trial and error.  Do not let your dough raise as long at higher altitudes.  I stop the raise just before my dough has almost doubled.  If you over-proof or over-raise your dough, the gluten threads will be stretched too thin and they will not hold up to the air pressure while baking.  Your bread will collapse, making it tough and dense.  I also increase my salt slightly if it is called for in a recipe. 
  • For example: if a bread recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons of yeast, I use 2 teaspoons at both of my altitudes. This is the amount of yeast I need to get a soft, light dough at my altitude.  It works for me.  This measurement may or may not work for your altitude, you'll need to experiment a bit.  I also decrease the sugar just a little if it's called for in the recipe.  Sugar feeds yeast and helps to activate it.  I am trying to control the rise so I decrease my sweetener slightly.   Salt retards yeast development so I often increase it slightly but be careful, you don't want too much salt.
  • Adjust for your altitude and your baked items and candy will be successful.   It may take you a few tries to get the adjustments right.  Make smaller batches or cut your recipes down while you are experimenting.  Start by adjusting just a little of each of the ingredients until you get it right.  It shouldn't take you long to figure it out. When you do, write the adjustments down where you can readily find them.  I know about how much to decrease or increase an ingredient for high altitude and can apply the same formula to most baked good recipes.  Do I have failures?  Once in a while, but not very often.  Cooking is about improvisation but baking really is all about science and formulas.  The rules need to be followed to have success.

I can't guarantee perfect results every time, but your baking should be considerably improved.  Good luck and go experiment.


This post is submitted to Two for Tuesdays.  Go here to see what the other members posted this week.

16 comments:

  1. Bonnie baby, this is an EXCELLENT explanation of altitude adjustment with so much great information. I will be sharing this on the blog hop highlights for my thoughts on friday link love and thanks so much for teaching us so much on the two for tuesday recipe blog hop! You rock! Alex@amoderatelife

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  2. You know Bonnie, this is something that has always confused me...fortunately I've never had to make the adjustment (although I suppose I'd have to get used to it quick if I did). Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful post w/ T4T this week!! I'll be saving it...just in case... ;)

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  3. Found you over at Two for Tuesdays; very nice blog full of helpful information and recipes (saved that tortellini soup recipe). I bookmarked your site, I'll be back.

    -Brenda

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  4. How super interesting - I love learning the science behind cooking! Thanks for linking this to Two for Tuesdays!

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  5. I have been blogging and reading blogs for 3 years. I've read thousands of posts in that time and I will say right now that this is probably THE MOST HELPFUL post I've ever read!

    I cannot believe I've cooked for all these years at a higher altitude without really understanding why it mattered. THANK YOU. I know it took a lot of time for you to put this information together but I so appreciate it. I've burned a number of batches of candy and just thought it was my own inability to do it right. Now I get it. I will incorporate your suggestions and refer back to your post and probably send all my friends here too. Fantastic!

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  6. Bonnie -- this is really good information. I live at 5600 feet now and made changes when I make candy. I have also noticed that things bake quicker than what recipes say. I haven't made changes in baking and I am interested in trying some of your ideas! Thanks, Joni

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  7. This is such important information. As someone who lives at high alt, and sometimes hangs out even higher, I'm happy to see a mention of this. I know that I'm always trying to compensate in recipes. Thanks you for sharing this great post with Two for Tuesday.

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  8. Bonnie, you are the expert! Thank you for writing this all down and making the foggy air clear. You are a master at so many things, but baking is certainly one of your strongest suits.

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  9. Great information! You certainly know what you're talking about because all of your baked goods look perfectly beautiful!

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  10. Wow, that just completely blew me away. I'm not much of a baker, but I knew that you had to adjust flour for things like heat, humidity etc, but I never knew that you had to adjust anything for altitude. Thanks for such an interesting and helpful post.
    Sue

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  11. Bonnie, thank you so much for the information on the post...and the link :-) So interesting...and love the way you adjust the recipes...very clever!

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  12. Fabulous info. I really need to print this out. Thanks for sharing your tips!

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  13. hello there thanks for your grat post, as usual ((o:

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  14. Really nice and impressive blog i found today.

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  15. Merci d'avoir un blog interessant

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