Hypoxia and Medicine

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.

Public Comments

1. it should say in your manual with your machine. I looked it up and it says to add 1/4 tsp less yeast and 1-2 Tbsp more water per cup. the first few batches are going to be experiments. just google "bread machines in high altitudes"
2. Should your machine's handbook not indicate what needs doing, here are some general guidelines. Unlike manual baking, there only seems to be a single cut-off point of 7000ft after which changes are necessary: Adjustments for High-altitude Bread Machine Baking From: The Bread Machine Magic Book of Helpful Hints (1993 Edition) by Linda Rehberg and Lois Conway; St. Martin's Press If you're a bread machine owner and live 7,000 feet or more above sea level, you may be experiencing some sunken loaves. At higher elevations, the dough "overproofs." Due to the lower barometric pressure at high altitudes, the carbon dioxide gas bubbles created by the yeast expand more rapidly. Therefore, the bread rises too high, the gluten loses its strength, and the bread collapses during baking. Take heart, it's an easy problem to correct. No need to pack up your bread machine and move down to the flatlands. Try the following combination of suggestions: - Reduce the amount of yeast by about 1/3. This will create less carbon dioxide and the bread will not rise as quickly. - Increase the salt by 25 percent. This will have the same effect as decreasing the yeast. The bread will rise slower and be less likely to sink during baking. - Add from 1/2 to 1 tablespoon gluten per cup of flour. Increasing the gluten will give added strength to your bread. - Watch your dough as it mixes. You may need to add at least I to 3 tablespoons more liquid since flour stored at high altitudes tends to be drier than that stored below 7,000 feet. (These recommended alterations were shared by Irwin Franzel, a friend and very knowledgeable bread machine baker. With his "Zoji" S-15 under one arm and bread-baking supplies under the other, he took off for a Colorado vacation and baked up numerous loaves of "high-altitude" bread. By adjusting the salt, gluten, yeast, and liquid, he was finally able to produce consistently well-shaped breads.) - Two other options: Because of the rapid-rising nature of high-altitude breads, try baking them on the Rapid Bake cycle of your machine to reduce the rising time. If your machine has a programmable mode, watch the loaf as it rises; when it nears the top of the bread pan, switch to the Bake cycle manually.
3. I live at nearly 6000 feet. I add a tablespoon of gluten to each loaf and reduce the yeast SLIGHTLY. For some recipes I need to add a bit more liquid, too. We are not only high but also very dry so the low humidity (very dry flour!) might be why I need the extra water, though. It took me quite a bit of trial and error but I have pretty good luck now.
4. 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.