Zest (ingredient) - Uses

Uses

Zest is often used to add flavor to different pastries and sweets, such as pies (e.g., lemon meringue pie), cakes, cookies, biscuits, puddings, confectionery, candy and chocolate. Zest also is added to certain dishes (including ossobuco alla milanese), marmalades, sauces, sorbets and salads.

Savoury dishes in which zest is an important ingredient include many rice dishes.

Zest is a key ingredient in a variety of sweet and sour condiments, including lemon pickle, lime chutney, and marmalade. Lemon liqueurs and in liquors such as Licor de oro require zest.

Zest is used in some cocktails not only for flavor and aroma but also for color as a garnish. For use as a cocktail garnish, zest often is cut in a long spiral called a twist. Cocktails featuring a twist include Dry Martini and Horse's Neck. For maximum flavor and aroma, as in mulled wine, zest is simply cut from the fruit with a knife.