High Altitude Baking: A Primer

This is a guest post from Porche Lovely, proprietress of Church of Cupcakes in Denver! Read her bio below.

The idyllic Rocky Mountains have inspired poets and songwriters from Katharine Lee Bates' “America the Beautiful” to John Denver's “Rocky Mountain High.” Icicles decorate the frosted roofs of mountain lodges and parkas and hiking boots are everyday fashion. Skiers and one-horse open sleighs float through drifts of snow as white and light as the fluffiest meringue. Alas the same altitude that draws outdoor enthusiasts, sends bakers running for the hills, or more accurately, lower altitudes.

For years, the effects of high altitude have been recognized by the sporting world. World class athletes train at high altitudes and according to the NY Times ninety-five percent of Olympic medalists live or train at high altitude. Manufacturers produce specialized high altitude tennis balls to compensate for the difference in air pressure. The Colorado Rockies, Denver's Major League Baseball team, for several years led the leagues in home runs because the city's thin air allowed balls to travel extra distance. (The team installed a humidor in 2002 to help combat the home run spree.)

The same conditions, low air density, low air pressure and low humidity, that are a boon to athletes are the bane of pastry chefs and home bakers alike far beyond the Rocky Mountains. According to the USDA, from sea to shining sea, one third of the US population lives at elevations above 3000 feet. In other words, 100 million Americans deal with the challenges of high altitude baking on a daily basis.

To understand why baking at altitude is different than baking at sea level it is important to look at how these atmospheric conditions effect the baking process. The weight of air, measured in pounds per square inch (psi), decreases nearly one third from sea level to 10,000 feet in elevation. The decrease in atmospheric pressure lowers the temperature that water boils at. A lower boiling temperature of water in turn means that more water is evaporated before the cake tester shows that the cake is done. Baking formulas are finely tuned. With the amount of water in the recipe reduced, the rest of the ratios are thrown out of whack. Less water means a higher concentration of sugar. In addition to adding sweetness, sugar tenderizes and keeps baked goods moist. Too much sugar can make a cake “too tender” which ends up looking more like a big gloppy mess. Reducing the sugar will help. It is important to shore up the structural components with additional flour and eggs, and increase the liquid ingredients.

Another key component to successful high altitude baking is to control leavening. At sea level the air is heavier due to increased atmospheric pressure and moisture. The heavier air pushes against the air or carbon dioxide as it expands in the heat of the oven. A sea level formula has these two opponents equally matched. As this same formula is taken higher and higher in elevation, the air pressure puts up less and less of a fight against the leavening. Like a balloon that's been blown up and had the air let out, a favorite cake or quick bread will rise gloriously in the oven but will shrink to a shadow of its former self as it cools. The lower boiling temperature of water also effects chemical leavening agents because less of the baking soda or baking powder is neutralized during baking which leaves a bitter, soapy, or metallic aftertaste.

Making changes to the method of preparation is an advantage to high altitude bakers. The sea level practices of creaming the butter and sugar together “until light and fluffy” and beating egg whites until stiff can be troublesome, especially for cakes, above 3,000 feet. Both mixing practices, which are just right at sea level, incorporate too much air for high altitudes. Just like having excess leavening gases created by baking powder or baking soda, too much air expands in the oven, weakens the structure and results in a course texture. At altitude, recipes will benefit from creaming the butter and sugar just until well combined and beating egg whites to soft peaks. Many recipes can also be helped by increasing the oven temperature 25 degrees which will set the batter's structure before an over expansion of leavening gases can occur.

Baking at high altitude is as much an art as it is a science. Mary Schoeder, M.S., R.D. with Colorado State University's Food Science and Nutrition department, agrees. According to Mary “It often requires a little experimenting to see what combination of adjustments works best for a particular recipe. Even if you have the science part figured out, there is still the art of fine-tuning to consider in order to get your desired finished product.”

Here is a recap of high altitude baking guidelines:

• Decrease the chemical leavening agents. Start with baking powder first, then baking soda.

• Decrease the sugar.

• Increase the four.

• Increase the eggs.

• Increase the liquids.

• Sometimes, fats need to be reduced. Try this last, especially if structure is a problem at the higher altitudes.

Below is a chart with general guidelines to adjusting a recipe for high altitude. If you would like specific help adjusting a recipe, a high altitude recipe calculator can be found at TheElevatedKitchen.com.

Chart- Weights 

*Johnson & Wales University

*** author’s original data

Adjustment: Measures **

Leavening Agents: reduce by 1/8 to ¼.

Flour: increase 1-3 tablespoons per cup

Sugar: decrease 1-3 tablespoons per cup

Liquid: increase 1-4 tablespoons per cup

Eggs: add an additional egg

Fats (if needed): decrease 1-2 tablespoons

**Colorado State University, Food Science & Human Nutrition

Other helpful hints:

Curds and cream fillings may require additional cooking time and the use of direct heat in order to thicken properly.

Use a candy thermometer and lower the temperature called for in the recipe by approximately 2 degrees per 1000 feet of elevation. To determine an exact final temperature, take the temperature of boiling water and subtract that number from 212 degrees F. (the boiling temperature at sea level.)

Watch yeast breads carefully. Pay attention to the size of the dough not the amount of time that it has been rising. Dough will double in size faster at high altitudes. Add an additional rise for improved flavor development 

Porche Lovely owns and operates the Church of Cupcakes in Denver, Colorado(www.ChurchofCupcakes.com) and has a website dedicated to high altitude baking: The Elevated Kitchen (www.TheElevatedKitchen.com). A lifelong high altitude baker, Porche began baking in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains at the age of 7 with the unfortunate demise of an innocent lemon cake. 

Sweet Times: Delicious Things from Famous 4th Street Deli

Warning: do not attempt to eat your screen. That photo is not delicious...but it is a photo of something that was delicious, before I made it disappear into my belly.

It was a chocolate chip walnut cookie from The Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen in Philadelphia.

This is a magical establishment, where you can go and celebrate excess in food form. Warm up for dessert with a sandwich the size of The Hulk's head, or a trough of matzoh ball soup.

But DO save room for dessert. Because they make good stuff. Cheesecake! Macaroons!

Source: shannonmcdonald.net via Cake on Pinterest

Checkerboard cake! Eclairs! Banana chocolate cream pie! JUMBO COOKIES! And that's just to name a few.

So. I should tell you, these desserts are huge. Like, seriously huge. But unlike a lot of desserts which are dramatic in size and size only, these ones bring it to the table, flavor-wise. I sampled just a few of the wide array of treats.

Let me start with the rugelach. Unlike rugelach I have experienced in my time, this was more like the size of a jumbo danish than the petite rolled cookies I'm accustomed to. It was flaky and rich, with a nutty filling. It was two servings as a snack, or a decidedly decadent breakfast.

The cookies (regular size) were also of very high quality. The texture was crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and it was an absolute minefield of fillings--nuts and chocolate chips--making each bite a delicious adventure. A good cookie indeed.

What are you waiting for? Go visit. You'll get fed real good.

700 south 4th street, Philadelphia; online here.

Ask CakeSpy: Hot-Weather Cupcake Frosting Solutions

Source: seriouseats.com via Cake on Pinterest

Dear CakeSpy,

I am in dire need of a recipe for frosting for cupcakes that wont melt in California summer heat.I don`t want to use shortening. Ick. The party will be outside at a park and it's in June. Can you help?
 

 Love, Toasty in California

- - - - - - - - - -

Dear Toasty,

Unfortunately, while my favorite buttercream frosting recipes are delicious, they are not delightful in the height of summer heat. You kind of want to stay away from a typical American style buttercream or a cream cheese frosting, unless you're going to serve them for immediate consumption or have a shady place or cooler to keep them. Sorry!

However, that doesn't mean your life must be devoid of frosting. You've just got to explore some other options. I hit up the best crowd-sourcing tool I know (um, Twitter) and got some suggestions for you.

Here are some ideas:

Source: cakespy.com via Cake on Pinterest

A toasted marshmallow frosting would work nicely on a hot day (disregard the Thanksgiving picture, it's just to give an idea of what it could look like!)

Seven minute frosting will hold up better than buttercream on a hot day, too.

Source: sweetapolita.com via Cake on Pinterest

Swiss or German meringue buttercream (swiss meringue, pictured above) are going to work better, as well. 

You could try enrobing a regular buttercream frosting in a chocolate shell, sort of like a mallomar--but while these might hold for a little while, you are going to want to devour them quickly. 

Although strictly speaking I'm not a huge fan of unfrosted cupcakes, what about filling the cupcakes with buttercream, and then topping them with a crumb topping or a glaze? 

You could also make doughnut muffin type cakes: make cupcakes, brush them all-over with butter, and dust with cinnamon and sugar. Lots of sugar. 

You could deep-fry your cupcakes on a stick. 

One word: CAKESICLES!

Got more ideas, readers? This isn't necessarily my area of expertise, so these ideas largely came from you. Tell me more--leave a comment!

Seriously Sweet: My Top 10 Serious Eats Posts

Do you believe that I've been contributing recipes to Serious Eats for nearly three years? And oh, what a trinity of years they've been! The mere thought of how much butter, sugar, and rainbow-colored sprinkles I've gone through creating my signature, over-the-top, fanciful desserts makes me want to swoon.

To choose just a few favorites from my recipe archives was nearly impossible, but I gave it my best shot in this sugar-filled slideshow, selecting the recipes that make me smile and want to stuff my face full of cake (or cookies, or pie) every time.

To see the delicious slide show, click here.

Omg Alert: Ice Cream and Frosting Pie

Sometimes, a dessert comes along that just makes you want to eat your weight in it. Sometimes, it's something classy, like an exquisitely made opera cake. 

But more often, it's something really trashy, like Vanilla Kreme Donuts or cinnamon rolls stuffed with chocolate chip cookie dough.

Or--wait for it--ice cream and frosting pie. Seriously...I don't know what to say, other than to humbly admit that it's excessive and maybe even bordering on a little bit awful...but dear lord, it's also genius, and could I ever do some damage to this thing.

Best of all, it's beyond simple to make. You really just put ice cream in the pie crust, and let it freeze. Nothing, too crazy, right? But then...oh, then. Once set, you create something truly amazing with one additional step: you smear buttercream all over it (sprinkles too, if you'd like. I like). Don't thank me, because you'll be cursing me after you finish the entire thing in one sitting.

Ice Cream and Frosting Pie

• 1 9-inch baked pie crust (I used a graham cracker crust)
• The better part of a half gallon of vanilla ice cream (or, do half vanilla, half chocolate)
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla buttercream (use the recipe featured here)

1. Let the ice cream soften, or force nature's hand by putting it in the microwave for about 15 seconds.

2. Fill the pie crust with ice cream until it's about 90 percent full. Pack it in so that it's nice and dense. Spread it so that it's fairly even on top. 
3. Let this freeze in the freezer for a few hours. Go watch a few episodes of Mad Men or something. 
4. Once the ice cream is pretty firm, mix up your buttercream. Spread it all over the top. Don't fuss with it too much because the ice cream will start to spread around the longer you take. 

5. Finish it off with sprinkles. Serve immediately, or return to the freezer before serving. 

Cupcake Cream Pie Recipe for Serious Eats

When it comes to cream pies, you probably think along the lines of banana, coconut, or chocolate. But why limit yourself? Why not let your imagination fly high and fill your pie with delicious cupcakes?

I recently gave this pie in the sky idea a try by lining the bottom of a baked pie crust with alternating slices of cut-up vanilla and chocolate frosted cupcakes, over which I poured a rich, homemade custard filling. So what happens? As the custard sets, it absorbs some of the rich butteriness of the frosting, infusing the entire pie. As a result, the taste is kind of like cream pie meets birthday cake, in a decidedly delicious way. While some might argue that it's gilding the lily, it might interest you to know that this pie also tastes fantastic when paired with ice cream.

For the full entry and recipe, visit Serious Eats!

A Tale of Two Ice Creameries in Litchfield County, Connecticut

Not long ago, I went to Litchfield County, Connecticut. I had two extremely different ice cream experiences there--let me tell you about them.

First, I visited a place called Arethusa Dairy. It had been recommended by a dude who worked at a clothing store nearby. The clothing store was slightly uppity and lacked rainbow or sparkle clothing, so I did not buy anything. But I was thankful for the ice cream tip. 

So, a spy venture to the nearby dairy, where they make the ice cream using the cream from their own cows (which they may or may not sing to, depending on rumors I heard from people around town). The stark, well-designed interior worried me a little bit at first--I tend to trend toward more homespun type ice cream shoppes. If it's spelled "shoppe" that is a good thing to me. 

The menu is small, but well-chosen: Vanilla, chocolate, Butter Pecan, Maple Walnut, Rum Raisin, Coconut Chip & Mint Chip. I went for the coconut chip. The ice cream was of high quality, but I'd like to warn you to go for a double scoop or a waffle cone, because my single scoop was just that: a single scoop, not packed in, atop a wafer cone. The creamy coconut chip ice cream pleased me greatly: I just wanted more of it.

After my experience at Arethusa, I learned that the dairy is the hobby-lovechild of two Manolo Blahnik (yes, the shoe designer) executives. I don't know if this made the experience more or less interesting. As my friend Phil says, "Dairy is so hot right now". Maybe because it's gluten-free?

Not far away, at Peaches n Cream ice creamery, I got fed. From the moment you enter this charming ice cream shop, you get the feeling that it's been there forever. They have a ton of flavors; after about 15 minutes of analyzing all of them, I decided on the cashew cream. But wait, there's more: I topped it with caramel sauce.

Wow, what a good decision my flavor combo was. The rich, nutty ice cream "scoop" was quite generous, and it was full of cashews, lightly salty against the sweet cream. The caramel sauce was somewhat crack-like, making me wonder if I could buy a cup of it just to drink by itself. 

Peaches N Cream also makes ice cream sandwiches to order, so you could, for instance, say "give me an ice cream sandwich filled with maple walnut ice cream"...and they will do it right before your eyes.

It's probably pretty obvious that out of the two spots, I personally found Peaches n Cream to have a little more personality and soul. That having been said, both spots made a mean scoop of ice cream--if you're trying to decide between visiting one or the other, you've got to carefully consider what you're looking for in your ice cream experience. 

If you're looking for a farm-to-table experience complete with deliciously fresh ice cream, with sleek, well-designed surroundings, and are not afraid of a line, hit up hot-spot Arethusa. 

If you are more into kitsch and quantity and not-fancy but still very good ice cream, hit up Peaches n Cream.

Or, better yet, hit 'em both up and let me know what you think. Delicious research!

Arethusa Dairy, 822 Bantam Road, Bantam CT; online here.

Peaches n Cream, 632 Torrington Road, Litchfield CT

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Save me! Butter Saver, a sweet product idea!

Sweet fancy! 20 summery strawberry recipes from The Kitchn.

My kind of worship: Church of Cupcakes

I spy pie! Put your treats on this sweet little tray.

A book that I love, and think you will, too: Apple Pie by John T. Edge

Fascinating: sausage cake!

Gigantic doughnut pool float: yes, I need it. (thanks, Bake it in a Cake!)

I hope you didn't miss SpyMom's blueberry pie recipe.

Conchords and Cupcakes? Um, kind of freaking out.

I'm kind of intrigued by the idea of a chocolate quinoa cake.

Cupcake cream pie!

Mmmm...pop-tarts ice cream sandwiches!

You Need this Magical Thing: Uni-corn holders!

Seeking Sweetness: Pretty Sweets at Artisserie, Philadelphia

Near the University of Pennsylvania, there is a bakery called Artisserie Chocolate Cafe. Recently I went there, and while I wouldn't say my socks were knocked off, I thought their pastry work was solid--if you find yourself in the neighborhood, you'll be able to find something tasty.

However, the main reason I'm posting is that I did think it was worthwhile to show you some pictures of their pretty presentation. See the chocolate-lined cold hot chocolate, above; also, these fun Mondrian-inspired chocolate truffles:

So if you're in the 'hood, check them out--they have a variety of pastries and baked goods, too!

Artisserie Chocolate Cafe, 3421 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Online here. 

CakeSpy Undercover: Corina Bakery, Tacoma WA

CakeSpy Note: This is a guest post from Cake Gumshoe Roxanne. View more of her work at roxannecooke.com!

Corina Bakery, located between Tacoma’s Theater and Stadium districts, offers a wide assortment of baked goods for a variety of dietary restrictions. The bakery recently celebrated its 4-year anniversary. Happy birthday, Corina!

Among Corina’s many goodies: cakes, cheesecakes, pies, cookies and bars, scones, muffins, and savory goods such as quiche. There are also options for vegan, gluten free, soy free, or low sugar diets. You’ll see most of the goodies in the main display case when you walk in, but don’t forget to look around the corner for the refrigerated display, with puddings, cheesecake, quiche, and more.

Corina recently moved to a larger space. The shop’s old location was nice and cozy, but lacked seating space. Now there are plenty of places to sit, with lots of beautiful natural light shining in through big windows. Plus, the bakers get a much bigger kitchen!

Because there are so many different sweet treats at Corina, I’ve sampled something new during each visit and selected my favorites to review.

Valhalla brownie: Corina serves organic, fair-trade coffee from Tacoma-based Valhalla Coffee Co., and one of their most delicious desserts makes fantastic use of it! The brownie is rich, flavorful, and moist, with just a faint taste of rich coffee flavor. Decadent, for sure, so I couldn’t finish it in one sitting (that’s okay—more for later!).

In addition to Valhalla Coffee, Corina serves tea from Mad Hat, an organic, fair-trade tea purveyor in Tacoma. My go-to is the black lavender tea, pictured above with the Valhalla brownie, but there are many others, including decaf and herbal varieties.

Lavender honey cake (pictured top): This is just one of several different types of specialty cakes Corina offers. So far, it’s my favorite. Dried lavender is baked into a vanilla cake, topped with lemon-honey buttercream, and sprinkled with more dried lavender. I couldn’t stop eating this (gigantic) slice, with just the right amount of sweetness.

Pumpkin loaf (vegan): The pumpkin loaf apparently goes really well with coffee, but since I’m not a coffee drinker, I didn’t try it. I did, however, eat the entire mini loaf in one sitting. The pumpkin seeds on top provide a contrasty crunch to the soft, moist bread. All in all, it’s a good, flavorful choice if you’re not in the mood for something as sweet as cake or a brownie.

Peanut butter cookies (gluten free, vegan): I used to avoid peanut butter cookies. They’re always so dry and crunchy! But not these peanut butter cookies. They’re soft, and yummy, and pair perfectly with a glass of milk. They’re quickly becoming my favorite Corina item.

This is really only a tiny sampling of what Corina has to offer. For prices, bakery hours, and a detailed menu, check out Corina’s website. Or, even better, stop by for a cookie and a cup of tea before catching an indie flick at the Grand Cinema next door!

Corina Bakery, 602 Fawcett Avenue, Tacoma, 253-627-5070; online here.