I am very new at baking and I have a recipe that calls for lemon zest. Is it the same as lemon extract?

Zest is the outermost skin of a citrus fruit. Only the colored portion of the skin (not the white part) is considered the zest. It is removed by using a zester, paring knife or a peeler. The aromatic oils in citrus zest add flavor to the cake, cookie and pastry.

My kids love muffins so I decided to make choco chip muffins to surprise them. I followed the baking time written on my recipe and as a result my muffins were too try and hard. How can I tell if my muffins are done even before the given baking time?

To make sure you don’t over bake your muffins, check it even before the set baking time. Insert a toothpick or a cake tester into the center of the muffin and if it comes out clean, then it’s done.

What is the purpose of a wash on bread and rolls?

Here’s a list of different wash you can use for bread and rolls and its purpose: whole egg and water – for shine and color. Whole egg and milk – for shine and color, and a soft crust. Egg white and water – for shine with a firm crust.

I have tried baking cheesecake a couple of times but I can’t seem to get it right. The top always cracks. How do I prevent it from cracking?

To prevent your cheesecake from cracking, bake it at low temperature, around 300°F (150°C). Make sure you don’t overfill the pan because you stand more chance of the rise cracking. Lastly, don’t forget to use a water bath.