What changes should I make in a bread machine recipe for high altitudes?!
What changes should I make in a bread machine recipe for high altitudes?
I just got a bead machine and i'm pretty sure i'm going to have to make some changes so that everything turns out alright. I live at 4,300 feet. Could someone help me here? Like maybe cut back on flour or add water per cup of flour? Much appreciated.
Answers:
Here are a few things that might help. They were sent to me a while ago.
One or more of the following recommendations may be beneficial in troubleshooting altitude and humidity differences.
-Decrease yeast by 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon for every package (2-1/2 teaspoons) called for in the recipe. Also, use regular active dry yeast, not the fast-acting variety.
-Add a little salt. Although nutritionists recommend reducing salt for health reasons, salt inhibits the action of yeast and promotes slower rising. Increasing salt from the usual 1 teaspoon to 1-1/2 teaspoons per recipe often can significantly improve bread texture without affecting taste. At 1-1/2 teaspoons per loaf, the sodium content is 150 milligrams per slice (assuming 20 slices per loaf), which is similar to commercial breads.
-Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of additional liquid per cup of flour in the recipe. Be careful, however, not to add too much liquid. If the bread dough does not come clean from the sides during the final stages of mixing, there is too much liquid in the system.
-Use a longer mixing cycle, if available. If your machine has both sweet and white bread settings, use the sweet bread one. Its longer mixing cycle may help control over-proofing by allowing the gluten in the dough to develop more fully.
-Add a little gluten and/or lecithin. As a last resort, these additives may help stabilize the structure of the bread so it is less likely to fall. They often can be found at health food stores.