High altitude baking help?
Posted by turtlebean on May 12, 2006 · Member since Jan 2005 · 5 posts
I have fail-proof vegan recipes that I've been using for 10 years. But, now I live 7,000 feet up in a very dry climate. I can't figure out how to alter my recipes to make up for the altitude. My muffins are turning out lumpy and heavy. My cookies are flat and crispy. I've tried adding more leavening, and liquids, and more flour to the cookies, but it's not working.
Does anyone have any general tips for high altitude/dry climate baking? The rules seem to be different for vegan baked goods, as the tips I've tried from non-vegan baking boards haven't worked for me. Or maybe I'm just not as good a baker as I thought I was! ;D
Does anyone have any general tips for high altitude/dry climate baking? Thanks!
Anyone? I have to make a stawberry shortcake for a friend's birthday, and I really don't want to waste a lot of money on trying it eight different ways. Heellllllllppp!
i really wanna help- but i've never had the same problem, so all i could really do was google for it, no doubt you've done the same. i have tried to help (below) tho.... and really hope it does!
firstly, are you using tofu for your egg substitute? aparently the protein in eggs helps it fluff up in high altitude baking, so maybe using silken tofu would work similarly, as aposed to using banana, or powdered egg replacers which contain additional raising agents of their own and could interfere with your amendments- worth a try.
anyway, i found this page which seems to be pretty good-
http://groups.msn.com/PaganHearthRecipes/bakinghighaltitude.msnw
she explains the principles to adjusting things and even tells you how much to change it by your height, depending on the type of thing you're making, so for cakes, amongst other things she says:
Adjustment for 7000+ feet:
Reduce baking powder: for each teaspoon, decrease 1/4 teaspoon.
Reduce sugar: for each cup, decrease 1 to 3 tablespoons.
Increase liquid: for each cup, add 3 to 4 tablespoons.
Increase oven temperature by 25 degrees F.
this site also has some useful info and links:
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/cake_decorating/31903
i guess if this fails, all else you can do is add rice milk or strawberry juice or another liquid and make your dry wrecked cakes into a sponge pudding with vegan jello and a creamy topping - like a trifle- (i've been known to do this in desperation when i wreck my cakes, but thats usually with chocolate ones, lol).
sorry, and wishing you lots of good luck!
Thank You! The pagan hearth site looks good, I hadn't seen that one in my search.
I usually use flax "eggs" in my recipes, but I think I'll try switching to silken tofu.
another high altitude baker/cooker here! i'm at 8150ft so i can relate.
why would you need to adjust the sugar?
for adjusting liquids - oils and milks? one? the other?
i love the "chocolate chip cookie bars" from how it all vegan. but they never cook through. book says 25-30. i end up cooking for 40. and even then they aren't cooking properly. i now have increased the temp and adjusted the baking powder. still not right. should i take the other measures? hmm....
and these cookies/blondies are sooooooo good!