“Skilled at Sea Level, Humbled at High Altitude. Sharing the Lessons as I Go.”
I started this club as part of a personal journey that arose out of the acknowledgement that I had to learn a new skill; how to bake at High Altitude, where cookies spread too much, cakes collapse and everything dries out. After spending years as a pastry chef and culinary instructor in Los Angeles, I moved up to 6000 plus feet and “all hell broke loose” for me. When I started questioning new friends and neighbors on the subject, I realized I was not alone and thus was the establishment of our club.
How we work:
Each month, we gather with the end product of the same recipe that we have all baked. The recipes hail from my collection of approximately 100 “sea level' recipes that I convert each month for High Altitude Success. Some members try their own hand at the conversions, some follow mine, and others use their own successful ones.
The main objective for me is to have the impetus to convert my recipes successfully, no matter how many times it takes, to put my entire collection into a book that shares both High and Low versions. One book, 2 variations of recipes. “From the beach to the mountains!”
“Baking at high altitude is difficult.
Together, we can RISE above it”
The Truckee High Altitude Baking Club, born out of necessity and frustration and originated in Truckee, California, We are a community of passionate bakers dedicated to navigating and hopefully mastering the unique challenges of baking in the mountains, no matter where those mountains are. The information on this website applies to bakers both nationally and globally as at certain altitudes, we ALL share the same challenges.
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faster rising
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drier doughs and batters
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more spreading
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collapse after rising
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shorter proofing times
Bake. Learn. Share. Conquer.
The club is led by me, Liz Thompson, a previous pastry chef and culinary instructor from Los Angeles who, after moving up the mountains I have had quite a time and LOTS of anxiety and doubt “mastering” (and I use that term loosely) high altitude baking as well. In real time, I keep working at it alongside my club members with the ultimate goal of mastering high altitude baking.
