View Single Post
  #6 (permalink)   Report Post  
The Old Bear
 
Posts: n/a
Default newbie, altitude cooking

Angel > writes:

>From: Angel >
>Newsgroups: rec.food.baking
>Subject: newbie, altitude cooking
>Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 00:37:09 GMT
>
>Hey! That post was answering me, Old Bear! Talk about a
>flashback.
>
>I did get the High Altitude Cookbook referenced below, and it came in
>handy with a LOT of things. On the other hand, I found a lot of their
>meat recipes to be very drying, and had to adapt (adding water, broth,
>etc.)
>


Ah, there is a certain irony at work. When we were in Colorado at
Thanksgiving, we acquired the Junior League of Denver's third cookbook
called "Colorado Collage." (There is now a fourth cookbook in this
wonderful series available.)

The book has a whole section on breads but fails to note whether the
recipes are for Denver's altitude or based on standard sea level
cookery.

One of the recipes is for "Brew Pub Bread" and I decided to try making
it here at approximate sea level in Boston:

| BREW PUB BREAD
| --------------
|
| A subtle beer flavor makes this a nice accompaniment to
| hearty soups and sandwiches.
|
| 2 cups dark beer
| 1 cup oatmeal
| 2 teaspoons salt
| 1/2 cup molasses
| 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1/2 stick)
| 1 package dry yeast (1/4 ounce)
| 1/3 cup warm water (105-115 °F)
| 5-6 cups unbleached flour
|
| In a small sacuepan, heat beer to boiling. In a large bowl, combine
| oatmeal, salt, molasses, butter, and hot beer. Set aside and cool
| to lukewarm.
|
| Disolve yeast in water. Add to oatmeal mixture and stir to blend.
| Stir in flour, 2 cups at a time, stirring well after each addition.
| Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead 8-10 minutes,
| or until smooth and elastic.
|
| Place in oiled bowl, turning to coat entire surface. Cover with
| plastic wrap and towel and let rise until doubled in bulk, about
| 1 hour.
|
| Punch dough down, and divide in half. Shape each piece into a loaf
| and place in ungreased 9x5-inch loaf pans. Cover as before and let
| rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
|
| Preheat oven to 375 °F. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until loaves sound
| hollow when tapped on top, and sides pull away from pans. Remove
| from oven and cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool
| on rack.
|
| Makes 2 loaves.
|
|
| Source: Colorado Collage
| Junior League of Denver (1995)


This bread turned out with a great flavor and with a fine dense and
moist texture. But the rise times were a bit longer than those
specified in the recipe. The final rise went about an hour and a half.
(But, if you bake bread, you know to judge the rising time by the
appearance and feel of the dough rather than by the clock.)

I'm glad to hear that things are going well and I wish you the best for
a happy holiday season and a joyous New Year.

Cheers,
Will
The Old Bear