No-Fail Bread Machine Baking at High Altitude
Living above 3,000 feet can make baking an interesting experience.
Although many commercial recipes for boxed cakes, cookies, and quick breads come complete with high-altitude instructions, your family's favorite recipes may not.
In fact, it can be difficult to find baking recipes designed specifically for use at high altitude.
Bread machine recipes are no exception.
Baking with a bread machine at high altitude can be intimidating, especially if you're just beginning to bake for the first time.
The process is actually much simpler than you might believe.
Using a bread machine at altitude isn't much different than other types of high altitude baking.
By making a few small tweaks to your recipes, your baked goods might even be tastier than their sea level counterparts.
Most often, bread machines are calibrated for sea level use.
You won't be able to change the air pressure or atmospheric pressure to mimic sea level, so go ahead and adapt to the unique conditions facing you.
This article will show you how.
All about the moisture Life at high altitude in the United States often implies a semi-arid climate.
Your dough may need to be a bit more moist than it would at sea level.
Try changing up your ingredients a bit to help out.
Switch applesauce for water, and add a teaspoon of olive oil or two to your doughs.
These changed ensure that your machine can continue to cycle through the dough, and not end up stalling or beating around a heavy lump of dry, flavorless, dough.
Your bread will be less coarse as a result of these changes, too.
Make friends with the salt shaker Salt, despite having a bad rap for hypertension, is a high-altitude baker's best friend If you are afraid of the excess sodium, or are on a limited sodium diet, use sea salt instead of table salt.
The benefit of salt in baking is that it prevents your dough from rising too rapidly, and in turn collapsing in on itself.
Sometimes its okay to cut back When your bread loaves continue rising rapidly, despite adding a little extra salt, you have other options.
Try decreasing the amount of yeast you use.
At high altitude, yeast can grow too fast.
By reducing the amount ¼ of a teaspoon, you can improve the final result.
Another option is to reduce the amount of sweetener you use.
Yeast eats sugar, so by limiting its food supply, you restrict its growth.
For loaves that are too moist, reduce the liquid you use.
This isn't a typical high altitude problem, though.
Many high altitude cities in the US, like Denver, are semi-arid and the extra moisture is actually beneficial.
It is, however, helpful if you live in area where that's not the case.
Last Resorts If you have made all of the modifications above, played with them a bit, and still can't seem to get a good loaf, try shrinking the size of loaf you are trying to make.
Small loaves tend to work better at high altitude.
The reason is pretty simple - the decreased rise time prevents yeast from being able to grow out of control.
Conclusion Even when working with a bread machine, high altitude baking can seem frightening.
It can be pretty simple, however.
Adjusting salt, sweeteners, loaf size, moisture content, and the amount of yeast you use can all affect your end product.
Given a little time and effort, you'll create the perfect result.
Although many commercial recipes for boxed cakes, cookies, and quick breads come complete with high-altitude instructions, your family's favorite recipes may not.
In fact, it can be difficult to find baking recipes designed specifically for use at high altitude.
Bread machine recipes are no exception.
Baking with a bread machine at high altitude can be intimidating, especially if you're just beginning to bake for the first time.
The process is actually much simpler than you might believe.
Using a bread machine at altitude isn't much different than other types of high altitude baking.
By making a few small tweaks to your recipes, your baked goods might even be tastier than their sea level counterparts.
Most often, bread machines are calibrated for sea level use.
You won't be able to change the air pressure or atmospheric pressure to mimic sea level, so go ahead and adapt to the unique conditions facing you.
This article will show you how.
All about the moisture Life at high altitude in the United States often implies a semi-arid climate.
Your dough may need to be a bit more moist than it would at sea level.
Try changing up your ingredients a bit to help out.
Switch applesauce for water, and add a teaspoon of olive oil or two to your doughs.
These changed ensure that your machine can continue to cycle through the dough, and not end up stalling or beating around a heavy lump of dry, flavorless, dough.
Your bread will be less coarse as a result of these changes, too.
Make friends with the salt shaker Salt, despite having a bad rap for hypertension, is a high-altitude baker's best friend If you are afraid of the excess sodium, or are on a limited sodium diet, use sea salt instead of table salt.
The benefit of salt in baking is that it prevents your dough from rising too rapidly, and in turn collapsing in on itself.
Sometimes its okay to cut back When your bread loaves continue rising rapidly, despite adding a little extra salt, you have other options.
Try decreasing the amount of yeast you use.
At high altitude, yeast can grow too fast.
By reducing the amount ¼ of a teaspoon, you can improve the final result.
Another option is to reduce the amount of sweetener you use.
Yeast eats sugar, so by limiting its food supply, you restrict its growth.
For loaves that are too moist, reduce the liquid you use.
This isn't a typical high altitude problem, though.
Many high altitude cities in the US, like Denver, are semi-arid and the extra moisture is actually beneficial.
It is, however, helpful if you live in area where that's not the case.
Last Resorts If you have made all of the modifications above, played with them a bit, and still can't seem to get a good loaf, try shrinking the size of loaf you are trying to make.
Small loaves tend to work better at high altitude.
The reason is pretty simple - the decreased rise time prevents yeast from being able to grow out of control.
Conclusion Even when working with a bread machine, high altitude baking can seem frightening.
It can be pretty simple, however.
Adjusting salt, sweeteners, loaf size, moisture content, and the amount of yeast you use can all affect your end product.
Given a little time and effort, you'll create the perfect result.
