Help with High Altitude cooking

[krc]

I've asked this question elsewhere but trying for an answer. I live at 7,200 feet and some of the low carb recipies just don't cook well, especially any baking recipies. In ordinary high carb baking the directions usually call for extra flour. Since this is not an option I was hoping for some help with recipie modifications that are allowable.

Thanks Kim :)

[IslandGirl]

I'm trying to remember my high school physics here :D

If I gather rightly, one adds extra flour to distribute the rising (usually gas bubbles of one sort or another) action of the rising agent (yeast, baking soda/acid, baking powder)... so you don't really need extra wheat flour, you just need less rising agent... methinks.

Of course, with low carb baking, the problem is usually getting ENOUGH rising action, so maybe you just need to leave the recipes alone? Have you actually experienced too much rising?

[krc]

Thanks for your input. Wow physics! I was a fine arts major so I stayed as far away from math as possible.

I actually get more bricklike loaves than bread like. They still taste good but they are very dense. The dough doesn't seem to rise very much at all.

The issue for the altitude is that it takes less heat to bring water and other substances to a boil because there is less oxygen in the air. I believe that at sea level water boils at 212 degrees and at 6,000 feet above it boils at 182 degrees. I'm 1,200 feet above that (it takes 20 minutes at a rolling boil to hard boil an egg in my house). :exclm:

I know that it has to do with the point (or level of heat) that the chemical reaction takes place but I honestly have no clue what I'm doing. I guess it will be trial an error.

I thought I might find another high altitude LCarber who already figured this out. Could I be the "highest" low carber on the forum? :D

Kim

[IslandGirl]

Baking and boiling eggs t'ain't the same thing :D

The eggs require a certain temperature for a certain period of time (I bring mine to the boil, e.g., bring them past 200F, simmer them for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and let them sit for 17 minutes... then cool them...voila, perfect hard boiled eggs, but then the rising doesn't matter...).

Yeast does most of the rising outside the oven. No diff, right, as high-temperature-trigger of rising is not a big part of the picture.

Baking Soda and an acid (buttermilk, lemon juice, whatever) reacts pretty well right away and continuously I think :confused: which is why muffin and pancake batter has to go in the oven right away -- again, should be no diff re altititude for such quickbreads. Mostly the same for the baking powder, the moisture activates the built in acid and soda combination, though SOME further rising occurs with both Baking Soda and Baking Powder in the oven.

Methinks, for baking, it's the air pressure thing more than the temperature thing, so it may be that your stuff is rising too soon and too fast with the lack of air pressure, then falling. Seem reasonable?

If it's any comfort, most people have considerable difficulty and must experiment with low-carb baking. Either a lack of gluten or conversely too much gluten is what usually makes low-carb baking so dang difficult.

By the way, you didn't say if you usually got bricks with ANY baking or specifically with low-carb baking?

[krc]

Judi,

Since I'm new to low carb baking I am probably making some typical mistakes as you said. It may take me a little longer just due to the variable of the altitude. You may be right about the air pressure as an issue more with the rising rather than the baking. I'm going to watch the rising process and see if I can tell what is going on.

I think that since I am going to try the stuffing recipe for Thanksgiving that requires the low carb gabi bread in advance, I'll take a test run at a few different things and see what works. It shouldn't really effect the stuffing since it will be combined with other ingredients that will change the texture.

I will really be the only one eating it since I'll be making full carb stuffing for everyone else.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

By the way, are you at any altitude? I don't know much of BC geography -- shame on me.

Thanks for your help :p

Kim

[krc]

It's in the oil. Quite by accident I think I discovered the solution or at least part of it. I was making the Atkins corn bread for my thanksgiving LC stuffing and I only put in a third of the required oil. It came out light and fluffy.

So what do you think :q:

Kim

[IslandGirl]

Goodness, sorry for taking so long.... I've been a bit busier than usual (2 FT jobs).

BC is MUCH like Colorado -- full of mountains :D -- except for the coastal part where it's more like WA state (which has mountains, too, I guess). :lol:

I'm in the coastal part but I've lived in the Yukon Territory (inland and due East of Alaska, and on a high mountain plateau) as well.

Meanwhile, it's interesting about the oil. It's been my experience as Products Moderator (meaning I test a LOT of LC products) that the instructions for any of these items usually needs close examination and testing (great reviews and tested recipes at www.lowcarbluxury.com which you will find VERY interesting, I'm sure).

It makes sense to me as a foodie and kitchen queen :daze: that the oil would make the dough/batter very heavy and be a 'drag' on the rising action. Good on you for continuing to experiment! The next time I take a crack at some LC baking, I'll watch carefully for this kind of issue, sea-level or not.

Thanks, KRC! (and I've turned the EMail Notification back on in case you have more tips).