Help for High Humidity!

posted at 12/21/2010 1:59 AM EST

Tonya K

Posts: 2
First: 12/21/2010
Last: 12/22/2010

We are new here, My family just moved to an extremely high humidity area! It is driving the hubby crazy, as he is known as the baker that everyone loves at work! He tried to make his "famous" choco chip cookies and they were HORRIBLE! Unfortunately he tried again and again to the same result. So...Can anyone give us some helpful hints on what to do in high humidity? We do not have an airconditioner (this was a suggestion from a friend). We also tried to make carmel corn mix for Christmas and it flopped too! Thanks for all assistance and suggestions!

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Re: Help for High Humidity!

posted at 12/22/2010 3:06 PM EST

nikki p

Posts: 2610
First: 10/6/2010
Last: 5/21/2013

In Response to Help for High Humidity!:

We are new here, My family just moved to an extremely high humidity area! It is driving the hubby crazy, as he is known as the baker that everyone loves at work! He tried to make his "famous" choco chip cookies and they were HORRIBLE! Unfortunately he tried again and again to the same result. So...Can anyone give us some helpful hints on what to do in high humidity? We do not have an airconditioner (this was a suggestion from a friend). We also tried to make carmel corn mix for Christmas and it flopped too! Thanks for all assistance and suggestions!
Posted by Tonya K

Where did you move from and to where?..
The only thing I can think of to help with the humidity is to get a de humidifier. Just place it in the kitchen while he is baking and that should help.
Candy is difficult but you should be able to discover how to work with the humidity for various baking projects. Since the flour is the main ingredient that will absorb moisture you could try adding a bit less moisture to the recipe, watch and adjust as you are following the recipe. It might even help if you tried placing the flour in the oven or microwave for a bit just to dry out some of the moisture.
Think this is why many "bakers" weigh the ingredients rather than measure.
As for the candy items when it is real humid don't even bother. Time and temperature can be controlled but the sugar absorbs moisture so even cooked to hard crack it may not set up.

Tell him to keep experimenting I am sure that his co-workers will gladly eat the "failures". And I like to think of my "failures" as another potential "ingredient" in disguise. Cookies become crumbs for a crust, cakes become trifles. I saw a recipe the other day where cake was cut up and mixed with a ganache for a pie. You just have to use the imagination.

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Re: Help for High Humidity!

posted at 12/22/2010 9:35 PM EST

Tonya K

Posts: 2
First: 12/21/2010
Last: 12/22/2010

In Response to Re: Help for High Humidity!:

In Response to Help for High Humidity! : Where did you move from and to where?.. The only thing I can think of to help with the humidity is to get a de humidifier. Just place it in the kitchen while he is baking and that should help. Candy is difficult but you should be able to discover how to work with the humidity for various baking projects. Since the flour is the main ingredient that will absorb moisture you could try adding a bit less moisture to the recipe, watch and adjust as you are following the recipe. It might even help if you tried placing the flour in the oven or microwave for a bit just to dry out some of the moisture. Think this is why many "bakers" weigh the ingredients rather than measure. As for the candy items when it is real humid don't even bother. Time and temperature can be controlled but the sugar absorbs moisture so even cooked to hard crack it may not set up. Tell him to keep experimenting I am sure that his co-workers will gladly eat the "failures". And I like to think of my "failures" as another potential "ingredient" in disguise. Cookies become crumbs for a crust, cakes become trifles. I saw a recipe the other day where cake was cut up and mixed with a ganache for a pie. You just have to use the imagination.
Posted by nikki p

Thanks for the great ideas! We moved from West Texas (edge of desert) to Hawaii. It is much more of a great place to visit, not necessary to live!!! The cookies were so bad, the guys he shared with (firefighters) wouldn't even eat them. He said he was going to play with the recipe this weekend! I hope to give an update of SUCCESS!!

Nikki, thanks again!

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Re: Help for High Humidity!

posted at 12/24/2010 9:43 AM EST

nikki p

Posts: 2610
First: 10/6/2010
Last: 5/21/2013

In Response to Re: Help for High Humidity!:

In Response to Re: Help for High Humidity! : Thanks for the great ideas! We moved from West Texas (edge of desert) to Hawaii. It is much more of a great place to visit, not necessary to live!!! The cookies were so bad, the guys he shared with (firefighters) wouldn't even eat them. He said he was going to play with the recipe this weekend! I hope to give an update of SUCCESS!! Nikki, thanks again!
Posted by Tonya K

Tonya, I think living with the humidity in Hawaii is a great trade off! Another suggestion since the firefighters have an opertunity to talk with many people, make friends with a baker and a candy maker. Ask what they do to work around the problems they encounter with humidity. I am sure that they will be happy to help. After all it must be a challenge that many face moving to a tropical area.
.... Mele Kalikimaka.....

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