So I'm living at 7000 feet, and the last loaf of bread I tried to bake
came out rather dense.  My cookbooks all have incredibly hazy information,
and I'm afraid I don't quite understand the science of baking well enough
to understand how to make not-so-dense bread here.  Anyone have any
suggestions or advice?

Thanks.

5 responses total.

Is there a local bakery that could advise you?  Was this yeast bread?  Have
you tried letting it rise longer first?  Fresher yeast?

I think i've seen suggestions on boxed baking mixes (or maybe flour bags?)
that say things along the lines of "add X Tbsp of flour (or oil, or 
whatever) more if above 5000 ft. altitude".  

The problem you describe, though, i'd try to fix with more sugar, more
yeast, or more rising time.  (You're keeping the yeast at the right
temperature, right?)

More or less at room temperature... usually I try to let it rise at
slightly warmer than room temperature but the one paragraph of info in my
cookbook said that too warm a rising at a high altitude could let it rise
*too* quickly -- that the yeast would feed too quickly for a short amount
of time and then grow sluggish, or something.  But perhaps that was a
mistake.  

More sugar might also be a good idea...  I'll try to do some more
experimenting later this week.

My dad, who lives in Colorado part of the year, suggests cutting back on yeast
(say about 75% of normal amount).  Also try using more gluten (something
usually available for bread machine use).

I'll try that. I hope to get around to another loaf sometime this week, so
I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks.

Response not possible - You must register and login before posting.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss