Post by HarmonyNLG on Oct 28, 2003 19:03:11 GMT -6
Cake Baking Adjustment Guide for High Altitudes:
Shortening-type Cakes:
Reduce baking powder.
For each teaspoon decrease
3,000 ft.- 1/8 tsp.
5,000 ft.- 1/8 - 1/4 tsp.
7,000 ft.- 1/4 tsp.
Reduce sugar.
For each cup decrease
3,000 ft.- 0-1 Tbsp.
5,000 ft.- 0-2 Tbsp.
7,000 ft.- 1-3 Tbsp.
Increase liquid.
For each cup add
3,000 ft.- 1-2 Tbsp.
5,000 ft.- 2-4 Tbsp.
7,000 ft.- 3-4 Tbsp.
•In addition to these changes, very rich cakes may need a reduction of shortening by 1 - 2 tablespoons.
•Cakes made with baking soda may need slightly less baking soda.
•Increasing oven temperature by 15 - 25 F may give better results for cupcakes and layer cakes.
This helps "set" the batter before it over expands. Increasing baking temperature also helps overcome the lighter crust color that occurs because of fast moisture evaporation.
Sponge-or Foam-type Cakes:
•Decrease beating time since air beaten into eggs is the leavening. Over beating will cause dry cakes at high altitudes.
•At very high altitudes, you may have to use more eggs but they still should be slightly underbeaten.
•Baking temperature should be increased to 10-15 F at 5000 feet and at every additional 5000 feet increase in altitude.
**Foods cooked in boiling water or steam need to be adjusted for high elevations. As altitude increases, water boils more quickly but at a lower boiling point.
A "three-minute" egg may not be done in three minutes and a bowl of soup may come to a boil very quickly, but not be especially hot in the high country. It takes longer for vegetables, eggs, dried beans, pot roasts, stews and
other foods cooked in liquid. It's impossible to suggest the additional cooking time required at high altitudes, because there's so much variation in the size and the ripeness of different foods.
In general, cooking time must be increased from 4-11 percent per 1,000 feet, depending on the product.
A pressure cooker is great for cooking meats and vegetables which require long cooking at high altitudes.
**Because of quick breads' firm structure, they can usually be prepared at high altitudes without change, or with only a slight decrease in baking powder. It's generally recommended to reduce baking powder or soda by one-eighth teaspoon per teaspoon called for and reduce sugar and fat by two to four tablespoons for each cup in the recipe.
**Although many sea-level cookie recipes will give you acceptable results at high altitudes, they can usually be improved by increasing the baking temperature 15-25 degrees F. If you notice a soapy aftertaste in your
cookies, lowering the amount of baking soda or baking powder by one-eighth teaspoon called for in your regular recipe may help.
If your cookies are spreading too much during baking, try reducing the sugar and/or fat content by one-eighth to one-fourth the recommended amount, or increase the flour and liquid called for by one-eighth to one-fourth the recommended amount.
Many cookie recipes have higher amounts of sugar and fat than necessary even at low altitudes. For more nutritious cookies with a few less calories, replace up to one-fourth of the sugar called for in the recipe with nonfat dry milk powder.
**The lower boiling point of water found at high altitudes not only affects foods cooked in water but also foods cooked in deep fat. To prevent deep fat-fried foods from over-browning on the outside while being under-cooked in the inside, the temperature of the fat must be lowered at high altitudes.
Temperature decrease varies according to the food you are frying. A rough guide to follow is lowering the frying temperature about 3 degrees F, for each 1,000 feet increase in elevation. For example, at 5,000 feet, a
sea-level recipe calling for frying doughnuts at 370 degrees F, would be lowered to 355 degrees F.
**Baking yeast breads in the high country can be a pleasurable and successful experience if you remember these few tips. In a high dry climate, flour tends to be drier and absorbs more liquid. A little less flour, or
slightly more liquid, may be needed to maintain the proper dough consistency. There is no hard and fast rule to follow, because changes in humidity will affect the flour's dryness and the amount needed in the same
recipe on different days.
A good method to follow is to add one-third of the flour at a time until you have a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
High altitude affects the rising time of yeast bread doughs as leavening gases expand more quickly. Bread doughs double in size faster at high altitudes than at lower altitudes. The higher the altitude, the shorter the
time required for dough to rise.
This faster rising time speeds the bread making process, but it also causes problems. A certain length of rising time is necessary for good flavor and a light textured bread. Using less yeast, or letting the dough rise twice before shaping into loaves or rolls, usually allows enough rising time for good flavor. It is important that the dough be allowed to rise only until double its original size before punching the dough down, or before you start to bake. Letting your bread rise too long may cause over-fermentation and result in a coarse, open-textured bread, with a yeast-like flavor.
At altitudes over 3,500 feet it is suggested to increase baking temperature by 25 degrees F. Most sea level recipes require baking temperatures between 375 degrees F and 400 degrees F, so at higher altitudes the best baking temperature is between 400 degrees - 425 degrees F. This higher temperature sets the cell walls quickly and stops further rising, preventing the dough
from becoming too light.
Bread Machines may need different adjustments, but a decrease in yeast - even use of active dry yeast in lieu of bread machine yeast, or adding gluten to the recipe to prevent over development of the yeast. Adding 1-2
Tbsp. additional moisture per cup of liquid may also help. For more information on using bread machines at high altitudes, the following numbers can help you out:
Breadman: (800) 233-9054, 9 am-5 pm Central Time M-F
Fleischmann's (800) 777-4959
General Mills/Gold Medal Flour (800) 328-6787 7:30 am-5:30 pm Central Time M-F
Shortening-type Cakes:
Reduce baking powder.
For each teaspoon decrease
3,000 ft.- 1/8 tsp.
5,000 ft.- 1/8 - 1/4 tsp.
7,000 ft.- 1/4 tsp.
Reduce sugar.
For each cup decrease
3,000 ft.- 0-1 Tbsp.
5,000 ft.- 0-2 Tbsp.
7,000 ft.- 1-3 Tbsp.
Increase liquid.
For each cup add
3,000 ft.- 1-2 Tbsp.
5,000 ft.- 2-4 Tbsp.
7,000 ft.- 3-4 Tbsp.
•In addition to these changes, very rich cakes may need a reduction of shortening by 1 - 2 tablespoons.
•Cakes made with baking soda may need slightly less baking soda.
•Increasing oven temperature by 15 - 25 F may give better results for cupcakes and layer cakes.
This helps "set" the batter before it over expands. Increasing baking temperature also helps overcome the lighter crust color that occurs because of fast moisture evaporation.
Sponge-or Foam-type Cakes:
•Decrease beating time since air beaten into eggs is the leavening. Over beating will cause dry cakes at high altitudes.
•At very high altitudes, you may have to use more eggs but they still should be slightly underbeaten.
•Baking temperature should be increased to 10-15 F at 5000 feet and at every additional 5000 feet increase in altitude.
**Foods cooked in boiling water or steam need to be adjusted for high elevations. As altitude increases, water boils more quickly but at a lower boiling point.
A "three-minute" egg may not be done in three minutes and a bowl of soup may come to a boil very quickly, but not be especially hot in the high country. It takes longer for vegetables, eggs, dried beans, pot roasts, stews and
other foods cooked in liquid. It's impossible to suggest the additional cooking time required at high altitudes, because there's so much variation in the size and the ripeness of different foods.
In general, cooking time must be increased from 4-11 percent per 1,000 feet, depending on the product.
A pressure cooker is great for cooking meats and vegetables which require long cooking at high altitudes.
**Because of quick breads' firm structure, they can usually be prepared at high altitudes without change, or with only a slight decrease in baking powder. It's generally recommended to reduce baking powder or soda by one-eighth teaspoon per teaspoon called for and reduce sugar and fat by two to four tablespoons for each cup in the recipe.
**Although many sea-level cookie recipes will give you acceptable results at high altitudes, they can usually be improved by increasing the baking temperature 15-25 degrees F. If you notice a soapy aftertaste in your
cookies, lowering the amount of baking soda or baking powder by one-eighth teaspoon called for in your regular recipe may help.
If your cookies are spreading too much during baking, try reducing the sugar and/or fat content by one-eighth to one-fourth the recommended amount, or increase the flour and liquid called for by one-eighth to one-fourth the recommended amount.
Many cookie recipes have higher amounts of sugar and fat than necessary even at low altitudes. For more nutritious cookies with a few less calories, replace up to one-fourth of the sugar called for in the recipe with nonfat dry milk powder.
**The lower boiling point of water found at high altitudes not only affects foods cooked in water but also foods cooked in deep fat. To prevent deep fat-fried foods from over-browning on the outside while being under-cooked in the inside, the temperature of the fat must be lowered at high altitudes.
Temperature decrease varies according to the food you are frying. A rough guide to follow is lowering the frying temperature about 3 degrees F, for each 1,000 feet increase in elevation. For example, at 5,000 feet, a
sea-level recipe calling for frying doughnuts at 370 degrees F, would be lowered to 355 degrees F.
**Baking yeast breads in the high country can be a pleasurable and successful experience if you remember these few tips. In a high dry climate, flour tends to be drier and absorbs more liquid. A little less flour, or
slightly more liquid, may be needed to maintain the proper dough consistency. There is no hard and fast rule to follow, because changes in humidity will affect the flour's dryness and the amount needed in the same
recipe on different days.
A good method to follow is to add one-third of the flour at a time until you have a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
High altitude affects the rising time of yeast bread doughs as leavening gases expand more quickly. Bread doughs double in size faster at high altitudes than at lower altitudes. The higher the altitude, the shorter the
time required for dough to rise.
This faster rising time speeds the bread making process, but it also causes problems. A certain length of rising time is necessary for good flavor and a light textured bread. Using less yeast, or letting the dough rise twice before shaping into loaves or rolls, usually allows enough rising time for good flavor. It is important that the dough be allowed to rise only until double its original size before punching the dough down, or before you start to bake. Letting your bread rise too long may cause over-fermentation and result in a coarse, open-textured bread, with a yeast-like flavor.
At altitudes over 3,500 feet it is suggested to increase baking temperature by 25 degrees F. Most sea level recipes require baking temperatures between 375 degrees F and 400 degrees F, so at higher altitudes the best baking temperature is between 400 degrees - 425 degrees F. This higher temperature sets the cell walls quickly and stops further rising, preventing the dough
from becoming too light.
Bread Machines may need different adjustments, but a decrease in yeast - even use of active dry yeast in lieu of bread machine yeast, or adding gluten to the recipe to prevent over development of the yeast. Adding 1-2
Tbsp. additional moisture per cup of liquid may also help. For more information on using bread machines at high altitudes, the following numbers can help you out:
Breadman: (800) 233-9054, 9 am-5 pm Central Time M-F
Fleischmann's (800) 777-4959
General Mills/Gold Medal Flour (800) 328-6787 7:30 am-5:30 pm Central Time M-F