How to Bake French Bread at High Altitudes
Baking bread at high altitudes differs in the method and ingredients. Unless you change the recipe, your bread will rise too quickly and likely collapse because the cooking time and temperature changes based upon your altitude. Many factors, such as weather conditions, humidity and age of ingredients, play a role in the outcome of your recipe. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- French bread recipe
- Dry active yeast (not rapid rise)
- Ice water as required in the recipe
- Additional 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1-1/2 tbsp. gluten powder
- 1-1/2 tsp. lecithin
- Oven thermometer
- Baking pan (any size)
- Boiling water to fill baking pan
Instructions
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Examine your recipe and substitute ice water for the warm water to prevent activating the yeast too quickly. Atmospheric pressure decreases as altitude increases, resulting in less pressure on top of food, allowing bread to rise faster.
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2
Use dry active yeast in your recipe instead of rapid rise yeast. Determine your altitude and use that information to decide how much yeast to subtract. A whole yeast package contains 2 1/2 tsp. yeast. Subtract 1/2 tsp. yeast if you live between 3,500 and 6,500 feet. Use only 1 3/4 tsp. yeast if you cook between 6,500 and 8,500 feet and 1 1/2 tsp. over 8,500 feet.
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3
Substitute ice water for the warm water to slow the activation of the yeast and prevent over rising. Add 1 to 2 tbsp. additional water for low humidity (dry air) kitchens.
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4
Add 1/2 tsp. salt in addition to the 1 tsp. salt most French bread recipes require. Salt slows yeast reproduction which causes rising.
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5
Add 1 1/2 tbsp gluten powder and 1-1/2 tsp. lecithin to the recipe if you live over 6,000 feet. Do not add these below 6,000 feet.
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Allow the bread to rise until increased in size by 1/3 in bulk rather than doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down, and add a second rising until the bread again increases by 1/3 in size before baking.
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Preheat the oven 10 to 15 degrees F higher than the recipe states at 3,000 feet. Decrease cooking time by 2 minutes. Increase oven temperature 25 degrees F and lower the cooking time by 5 minutes at 5,000 feet. Decrease the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes and increase the oven temperature by 25 to 30 degrees F over 7,000 feet.
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Place a baking pan full of boiling water in the oven on the floor of the oven or on the lowest rack beneath the bread. Remove the pan with 15 minutes baking finishes.
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