If you've been to the baking aisle of your local supermarket recently, you've probably seen condensed milk. If you're used to baking with regular milk, you might have been curious about using condensed milk in recipes. While you cannot substitute condensed milk for regular milk, you can use it successfully, if you keep a few tips in mind.
About Condensed Milk
To use condensed milk in baking, you need to know the difference between condensed milk and evaporated milk. Condensed milk, reports the Epicurious Food Dictionary, is a mix of milk and sugar which manufacturers heat until 60 percent of the water has evaporated. Evaporated milk is made essentially the same way, without the addition of sugar.
Nutrition Information
Condensed milk is a nourishing food, though high in sugar. One 2 tbsp. serving contains 130 calories, 3 g of fat, 2 g of saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 45 mg of sodium, 22 g carbohydrates and 3 g of protein. One serving provides 2 percent of your daily vitamin A. The exact nutrition facts vary by brand, so check the label of your product.
When To Use Condensed Milk
Condensed milk -- sometimes sold as "sweetened condensed milk" -- is 45 percent sugar, reports "Cook's Illustrated Magazine," making it ideally suited to sweet dishes and desserts. "Cook's" especially recommends using condensed milk in recipes where a smooth texture is important, such as key lime pie or pumpkin pie, since the heat applied to evaporate the milk's moisture also protects it against curdling.
Making Your Own
To make your own condensed milk, "Cook's" suggests adding 1-1/2 cups of dry milk powder with 1 cup whole or two percent milk and stirring with a whisk until smooth. Julie Garden-Robinson, a food and nutrition specialist recommends replacing one can of sweetened condensed milk with 1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. evaporated milk, 1 cup sugar, and 3 tbsp. butter. Heat this mixture until the butter and sugar dissolve.
Sample Recipe
To make a delicious pumpkin pie, combine a 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree with one 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk and two large eggs. Whisk until thoroughly combined, then stir in 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, ½ tsp. ground ginger, ½ tsp. ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground cloves and ½ tsp. salt. Pour the mixture into a 9 in. unbaked pie shell and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Then, drop the temperature to 350 F and continue baking 30 to 45 minutes, or until the point of a paring knife comes out clean. Cool for an hour before serving.
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