Are you a Rookie Cookie?

I like to bake and cook, and am more or less knowledgeable about the field because since I was a kid, I'd read cookbooks (my mom calls it a quirk of mine--but occasionally she buys me them for christmas--so I think she approves). However, even though I've been reading cookbooks, and baking and cooking since I was a kid--I cannot tell you how many tablespoons are in a cup or how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon etc. This afternoon I was looking for a conversion chart to memorize when I happened upon this on google: The answers are in the comment section.

From Valerie Phillips
Deseret Morning News

12 to 15 answers right: You're one smart cookie.
8 to 11 answers right: You're a rookie cookie, with room for improvement.
Below 7 answers right: That's how (and why) your cookie crumbles.

1. What is the purpose of baking powder in a recipe?
A. Aids in browning
B. Helps the dough or batter to rise
C. Thickens sauces

2. What does corn starch do in a recipe?
A. Adds sweetness
B. Thickens sauces
C. Adds flavor

3. Why do recipes call for unsalted butter?
A. To control the amount of salt in the recipe
B. Unsalted butter is usually fresher
C. Unsalted butter has fewer calories
D. A and B

4. Define a "cobbler":
A. Fruit filling topped with a biscuit dough
B. A crunchy topping is crumbled over a fruit filling
C. A slice of cake covered with fruit

5. If the recipe calls for cake flour and you don't have it, what's a reasonable substitute?
A. For every cup of all-purpose flour, add 2 tablespoons of cake crumbs
B. For every cup of all-purpose flour, omit 2 tablespoons of flour, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and sift twice
C. For every cup of whole-wheat flour, add 2 tablespoons of all- purpose flour

6. What if you don't have "self-rising" flour?
A. For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix to combine
B. For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 2 teaspoons of yeast. Mix to combine.
C. There's no viable substitution

7. Besides adding sweetness, what else does granulated sugar do in baked goods?
A. It helps tenderize the dough or batter
B. When creamed with butter or shortening, it contributes to the volume of a cake
C. It aids in browning during baking
D. All of the above

8. What is cream of tartar?
A. Same as half-and-half cream
B. A Russian dessert using whipped cream and gelatin
C. An acid used as a leavening agent

9. If a cookie recipe calls for butter, and you decide to melt the butter first, what will happen to the cookies?
A. They will rise higher
B. They will take longer to bake
C. They will be flat, dark and greasy
D. A and B.

10. What can you do if you're making frosting and run out of powdered sugar?
A. Blend 1 cup regular sugar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch in the blender 2 to 3 minutes.
B. Borrow some from your most generous neighbor.
C. Serve it without frosting.
D. Make a glaze by adding about 2/3 cup of whipping cream to 1 pound of melted milk chocolate (or for a deeper flavor, bittersweet chocolate). Allow the mixture to cool and set up a little before using it on the cake.
E. All of the above.

11. True or False: You can safely store zucchini or banana-nut bread in wide-rimmed canning jar, just as you do canned fruit or jams. All you have to do is put on a lid as soon as it comes out of the oven.

12. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of vanilla. If you cut the recipe in half, how much vanilla should you put in?
A. 1 teaspoon
B. 1 1/2 tablespoons
C. 1 1/2 teaspoons

13. Which one of these desserts usually is better refrigerated several hours or overnight before serving?
A. Grand Marnier Souffle
B. Cheesecake
C. Crepes suzette

14. How can you tell if yeast is too old to leaven bread or rolls?
A. Toss it if it's one month within the expiration date
B. Mix the yeast with a little warm water and a pinch of sugar, and allow to sit for about 5 minutes to see if it starts foaming
C. Mix the dry yeast with a little flour. If it blends easily into the flour, it's still good to use.

15. If using a nationally published cookbook, what can you do to adjust the cake recipes to Utah's altitude?
A. Add a little more "toughening" ingredients, such as egg or flour, to give the batter more structure
B. Reduce the amount of sugar slightly
C. Reduce the baking powder by 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon
D. Increase the baking temperature by 25 degrees to set the crust faster, so it doesn't rise too quickly and then fall
E. All of the above.

Sources: "Debbi Fields' Great American Desserts," by Debbi Fields; "The Dessert Bible," by Christopher Kimball; "Cooking A to Z" by the California Culinary Academy; and www.Recipesource.com.
E-MAIL: vphillips@desnews.com