High Altitude Cooking

Each 500 foot increase in elevation means a drop of 1 degree F in the temperature at which water boils. Anything that is boiled or steamed takes longer than at sea level. Baking Tips: Angel food, sponge cakes, souffles, and other air-leavened dished soar in their pans, while butter cakes are a little more difficult to manage at high altitudes. Oven Temperature: If you live higher than 3,000 feet, raise the oven temp 25 degrees. The higher oven temperature helps to set the structure of fast rising baked goods so they won't fall. Moisture: Higher altitudes means the flour is dry and absorbent. You may find you cannot incorporate all the flour called for in a recipe. Adding oil or an extra egg to breads not only provides more liquid so that it can absorb more flour, but also helps prevent dryness in a finished product. In cakes increase liquid as follows: 3,000 - 5,000 ft add 2 Tbs. liquid per cup called for 5,000 - 7,000 ft add 3 Tbs. liquid per cup called for over 7,000 ft add 3-4 Tbs. liquid per cup called for Leavenings and Sugar: Keep baking soda the same and reduce the baking powder and sugar as follows: 3,000 - 5,000 ft reduce baking powder by 1/8 tsp; reduce sugar by 2 Tbs per cup called for. To ensure stability in cakes, add 1-2 Tbs additional flour. 5,000 ft and above, reduce baking powder by 1/4 tsp; reduce sugar by 2 Tbs per cup called for. To ensure stability in cakes, add 1-2 Tbs additional flour. When making cakes that are risen with beaten egg whites, beat the eggs a little less than you would at sea level so that the whites form only soft peaks. Reducing yeast is optional unless you are baking large batches; then it's essential. Reducing the yeast by one quarter to one half the total amount results in a bread with a firmer, stronger texture. The full amount can give you a fluffy, airy bread which may be disappointing. Yeast doughs tend to rise more quickly at higher altitudes.