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Overview:
The Basic Situation:
Higher altitude = thinner air = less air pressure.
What it Means
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Water will boil at a lower temperature
(each 500-ft increase in altitude causes a drop of about 1° in the boiling
point). For example, at 7,500 feet the boiling point will be 198˚. Since
it will not be as hot as it is at lower altitudes, you will have to boil
it longer to achieve the same affect.
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Baked goods that include yeast or baking
powder will rise faster which may sound like a good thing, but it isn't
because they will dry out.
What to Do
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Boil things longer if you are at an
elevation of 5000 feet or more.
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Oven temperatures are NOT affected by
altitude, so it is sometimes necessary to adjust the suggested oven
temperature. For batters and doughs, you should increase the temperature
by 15 - 25 degrees Fahrenheit if you are at an elevation of 3500 feet or more.
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Adjust ingredients that cause your baked
goods to rise. See table below for guidelines.
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Use extra-large eggs or increase the
number of large eggs used.
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If possible, use smaller pans; they work
better at high altitudes.
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Increase liquids (including that used in
rice, soups and vegetables) slightly to allow for longer cooking times.
Altitude Adjustments for Baked Products
At higher altitudes, adjustments in ingredient
proportions in baked products such as cakes need to be made. Using the same
amount of baking powder as appropriate at sea level will cause baked
products to rise too much. This over-expansion of cells will result in their
collapse and the cake will fall. For altitudes under 3000 feet, adjustments
are not necessary. At altitudes up to 5000 feet, sometimes the only
requirement needed is to switch from cake flour to all purpose flour since
it will provide more structure.
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Adjustment |
3000 feet |
5000 feet |
7000 feet |
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Decrease baking powder
for each teaspoon measured, decrease by: |
1/8 tsp |
1/8 - 1/4
tsp |
1/4 tsp |
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Decrease sugar
for each cup measured, decrease
by: |
0 - 1 Tbs |
0 - 2 Tbs |
1 - 3 Tbs |
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Increase liquid
for each cup measured, add: |
1 - 2 Tbs |
2 - 4 Tbs |
3 - 4 Tbs |
Yeast breads rise
more quickly at high altitudes, so be sure to watch your dough carefully and
judge the rise time by the change in the dough's bulk, not by the amount of
time it takes. When the volume has doubled in size, bake it. Bread
machines however go by time not volume, therefore you may need to reduce the
amount of yeast. If the bread is hitting the lid of your bread machine, try
decreasing the yeast by 1/2 tsp.
For more detailed information try the links below.
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