How to Fix Common Baking Disasters

by Chef Noly
(Chicago, IL and La Paz, Bolivia)


Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you enjoyed a safe and happy new year's eve celebration. For the new year I want to get everyone off on the right foot in regards to baking at different altitudes and in different climates. Instead of posting my Wacataya Wednesday post once a month I will start the year off with a 7 week progressive post on how to fix common baking disasters.

The idea for this progressive post came to me as I was reminiscing about one of my visits to Bolivia. Before one of my visits to Bolivia to see my sisters-in-law I decided to put together a little hand-made recipe booklet as a gift for them. The booklet contained some of my family's favorite baked treats that my in-laws had enjoyed me making for them over the years. I chose beautiful paper, typed up each recipe with care and hand-bound the booklet with ribbon and decorations.

To read more about what happened when I arrived in La Paz and tried to recreate those recipes for my in-laws visit my food blog.

Then join me each Wednesday through February 13, 2013 as I discuss: Flour, Leavening Agents, Fats, Eggs, Sweeteners and Liquids/Dairy. Happy New Year!

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How to Fix Common Baking Disasters

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Feb 21, 2013
 Baking With Altitude Post Date Changes
by: Noly

Life has been busier than usual so I've had to make some adjustments to the Baking With Altitude post dates. Please view the date changes. Thanks, Noly.
Feb 10, 2013
 Baking With Altitude - Sugar
by: Chef Noly

Welcome to Week 6 of How to Fix Common Baking Disasters.

Sweeteners do more than give a sweet taste to baked items. The type of sweetener you use and the quantity you use can also change the texture and appearance of baked items.

To read more about baking with sugar at high altitudes visit my blog.

Thanks,
Noly
Feb 02, 2013
 Baking With Altitude - Eggs
by: Chef Noly

Week 5 of How to Fix Common Baking Disasters has been posted. To read about the role eggs play in baking at high altitudes please visit my food blog.
Jan 24, 2013
 Baking With Altitude - Fats
by: Chef Noly

The first time I truly realized how critical fats were in converting recipes from one altitude to another occurred when I was trying convert a high altitude (La Paz) recipe for Rollo de Queso to a low altitude kitchen (Chicago). Read more about the role fats play in baking at different altitudes.

I originally thought I would do seven posts on baking disasters but as you can see so far in these posts its not a simple question of increasing or decreasing ONE item. All the ingredients in baked goods work together. Changing one ingredient may or may not be enough to achieve positive results.

I've decide to add a Week 8 post where I bring all the information together in one spot to help you better tackle your baking. I've also slightly altered the posting schedule.

Liquids and Dairy will now be posted on February 20th instead of the 13th and the Summary will be posted on March 6th.

February 13: No post this week
February 20: Liquids/Dairy
March 6th: Baking With Altitude Summary
Jan 18, 2013
 Baking With Altitude - Leavening Agents
by: Chef Noly

In this week's post I will focus on how leavening agents work and what changes need to be made when taking a low altitude recipe (from Chicago) and making it work at the higher altitudes of Santa Cruz and La Paz. Please visit my blog to read more about baking soda, baking powder and yeast in high altitude recipes. Thanks.
Jan 13, 2013
 Baking With Altitude - Flour Week
by: Chef Noly

One of the key ingredients when it comes to baking is flour. In baking, the quantity of other ingredients, such as leavening agents, are calculated based on their ratio to flour. Using the right type of flour for your recipe as well as the right ratio of flour to other ingredients helps achieve the best end result possible.

So let's learn a little about flour. Week 2 of How to Fix Common Baking Disasters is ready for viewing.

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