High-Altitude Baking

BAKING RECIPES DEVELOPED AT SEA LEVEL

often function differently at higher elevations. Cakes and muffins may balloon up only to collapse, cookies might turn out thin and crisp instead of chewy, and breads can overproof and taste dry or gummy. The scientific explanations for these changes point to a reduction in atmospheric pressure, meaning that there is less air pressure. Less pressure means that water will boil at a lower temperature (and therefore evaporate more readily in the oven), and chemical leaveners or yeast will react with more force. Whipped eggs will expand more quickly, and sugar will become more concentrated (due to rapid water loss). Also, the typical mountain climate tends to be much drier, thus further affecting the moisture content of baked goods. Generally, it is accepted that these changes begin to emerge at around 3500 feet and amplify as the elevation increases. For this reason in particular, it is difficult to find any one set of guidelines or rules to follow when baking at high altitudes. To learn more about baking at high altitudes, we packed our whisks and our recipes and headed to Golden, Colorado, which has an elevation of 5700 feet. We chose a selection of recipes (all developed in our Boston test kitchen, which is 50 feet above sea level and also tends to be fairly humid for at least half the year) and baked each according to the directions in this book. We compared the results with those obtained in Boston and then proceeded to test ways to solve the issues plaguing these recipes at high altitude. We based our tests on the most frequent suggestions found in our research: turning up the oven by 25 degrees, adding more liquid or eggs, underwhipping eggs, shortening rising times, and reducing the amounts of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and yeast. Heres what we learned.
B A S I C P I E D O U G H (page 181): We blind

reduced moisture in the f lour stored in the arid mountain climate. We added an extra tablespoon of water to make the dough a little more pliable and easier to roll out.
BUTTERMILK

(page 55): Given the large amount of both baking powder and baking soda in this recipe, we thought for sure they would present challenges at high altitude. Surprisingly, this was not the case. The only difficulty we encountered was forming the dough into a cohesive ball (again, because the f lour was so dry), but this was quickly remedied by adding an extra tablespoon of buttermilk.
CHEW Y OATMEAL-R AISIN COOKIES

BISCUITS

(page 439): Much to our surprise, this was the most challenging recipe we tested at high altitude. Cookies that were moist and chewy at sea level morphed into thin, hard wafers. They also spread out too much, becoming burnt on the edges and tooth-shatteringly hard when cool. The high proportion of fat and sugar in this recipe was the culprit: The butter melted faster than the cookies could set because the water in it evaporated more readily (butter contains about 18 percent water). The loss of moisture caused the sugar to become too concentrated (the cookies tasted too sweet) and the cookies to become f lat and hard. When we tried decreasing the butter, the cookies looked right but tasted and felt too dry. Decreasing the sugar by a hefty 14 cup was more successful. Less sugar kept the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, and an extra egg yolk restored their original chew. Increasing the oven temperature 25 degrees moved the process along so the cookies didnt dry out.
C O R N M U F F I N S (page 49): The muffins

baked a pieshell so that we could analyze the results without the obstruction of a filling. The results in Colorado were almost identical to those in Boston, the only difference being a drier dough, due to the

rose high in the oven, only to have their tops collapse and flatten. When we reduced the baking powder and baking soda each by 14 teaspoon, these muffins shaped up, but their flavor was too sweet and their

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BAKING INGREDIENTS AND EQUIPMENT

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ texture too dry. Subtracting 1 tablespoon sugar and increasing the milk in the recipe by 1 tablespoon turned out to be the proper adjustments.
YELLOW L A Y E R C A K E (page 347): Drastically different at high altitude, this cake was unrecognizable with a pale, wet surface; sunken center; sweet f lavor; and dry, cottony texture. The first change we made was to increase the oven temperature by 25 degrees. We reduced the baking powder by 14 teaspoon and the sugar by 112 tablespoons, but the cake still sank in the center and had a strange tangy f lavor. Because the batter appeared wetter and shinier than before, we thought adding 14 cup more f lour might achieve the proper consistency. It did, and the cake also had a sturdier structure, compromised before by the high amount of butter. Still dry and bland, it needed another egg to finally become a moist, buttery, vanilla-f lavored cake with a properly risen center. FOOLPROOF SPONGE C A K E (page

decreased the rising time, and increased the oven temperature by 25 degrees. The loaf still suffered from the same ailments as before, and now the crust was thick and dry. Because of the short and intense rising period, we decided to decrease the yeast by 12 teaspoon instead of decreasing the rising time and revert to the original oven temperature. This version baked perfectly in the right amount of time, with a shapely, tender crust and delicate crumb.
W H A T W E L E A R N E D After much test-

357): This cake presented a different set of problems. At sea level, this recipe merits the name foolproof because the two leavenersthe traditional eggs as well as baking powderensure a proper rise. At high altitude, neither leavener worked properly. On our first attempt, this cake was sunken and dry, with a very large crumb. Learning from previous tests, we reduced the sugar by 1 tablespoon and the baking powder by 18 teaspoon and increased the oven temperature by 25 degrees. We quickly figured out that the baking time needed to be shortened by at least five minutes. But these alterations were not enough to improve this cake. We also needed to underwhip both the whites and the whole eggs. We whipped the whites to very soft peaks rather than soft peaks and reduced the whipping time for the whole eggs by one minute. Underwhipping the eggs gave the cake an even top and a moist, tender crumb.
AMERICAN SANDWICH BREAD

(page 74): Our first loaves were dense and gummy (not tender, as they should be), and the tops were ripped and uneven (not smooth and round). We reduced the amount of f lour by 2 tablespoons,

ing and trial and error, we returned to Boston with a newfound respect for bakers working at high altitudes. We also brought back some general conclusions. At high altitudes, the most sensitive recipes are those that contain leavener and/or a high proportion of sugar. Baked goods will rise more quickly, often before their structure has time to set, and then collapse, leaving the final texture too dense. In delicate baked goods, such as cakes or muffins, high amounts of fat will also compromise the structure and stability of the final product. And since water evaporates at a quicker rate, especially when the climate is arid, this causes the final product to be dry and overly concentrated in sugar (which is why cookies become hard and brittle). While many sources provide reliable-sounding formulas for reducing or increasing specific ingredients, we found this information was not terribly helpful because each recipe has its own set of problems. Unfortunately, it is impossible to write hard-and-fast rules for adjusting each and every recipe in this book. The process will require some trial and error. Our recommendations? First try each recipe as is and then make adjustments where needed, according to the specific problems that arise. Note that simpler recipes, such as biscuits, will be easier to adjust than complex recipes with many variables to test, such as cakes. The chart on the following page offers possible solutions to problems you are likely to encounter when baking at high altitudes. To read more about high-altitude baking, visit our Bulletin Board at www.cooksillustrated.com. There you can share your experiences, post tips, and ask questions. Choose the high-altitude baking forum on the Cooks Chat page to continue the conversation.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TROUBLE-SHOOTING BAKING RECIPES AT HIGH ALTITUDES

WHEN YOU ARE BAKING

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POSSIBLE PROBLEM

POSSIBLE SOLUTION

Quick Breads, Muffins, Biscuits, and Scones

Biscuit or scone dough is dry and hard to knead Quick breads or muffins collapse and texture is dense Quick breads or muffins are sweet and dry Dough is too dry Top of loaf blows out and crumb is dense or gummy

Add an extra tablespoon or two of liquid Use less baking powder and/or baking soda Reduce the sugar by a tablespoon or two and/or add an extra tablespoon or two of liquid Hold back a small portion of the flour and add only as needed Use less yeast or shorten the rising time Add an extra tablespoon or two of ice water ( Use less baking powder and/or baking soda ( Increase the oven temperature and decrease the baking time ( Underwhip the whites and/or whole eggs ( Increase the oven temperature and decrease the baking time Use less sugar and/or add an extra egg Add an extra tablespoon or two of flour ( Use less sugar ( Increase the oven temperature and decrease the baking time Add an extra egg or yolk

Yeast Breads and Pastries

Pie Doughs, Tart Doughs, and Non-Yeasted Pastries Cakes

Dough is dry and hard to roll out Chemically leavened cakes sink in the center

Egg-leavened cakes sink in the center

Cakes are dry and cottony Cakes are greasy Cookies Cookies spread too much in the oven

Cookies are too dry

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