No More Baking Failures!

My regular readers know of my complaints about baking in San Miguel....altitude of 6700 feet above sea level. I came here from Houston (basically sea level) and had never given a thought to any problems that might occur when you bake at higher altitudes. Well I learned very quickly that it is a problem. Cookies spread, textures change, cakes rise then fall. Gradually I've found a few dessert recipes that either I adapted or weren't affected by the altitude. I searched the internet and found conversion charts for how you adjust recipes...the adjustments never worked for me.

I have just bought a new book..................

Pie in the Sky by Susan G. Purdy. While I haven't tried any of the recipes yet I know they are going to work. Purdy actually went to places that were 3000, 5000, 7500 and 10000 feet above sea level and cooked these 100 recipes over and over until she perfected the adjustments to make the dessert. What she found was that a linear progression of adjustments didn't work. So much of what we find in the conversion charts is wrong. She also gives explanations of what you can try when you are adjusting your own recipes. Her recipes are laid out in a chart with the adjustment for each ingredient.

Her adventures in each of the altitude locations adds a "good read" to the book. This cookbook is a welcome addition to my San Miguel bookshelf.