What Is Sweetened Condensed Milk, Anyway? (2024)

FAQs

What is sweet condensed milk? ›

Take sweetened condensed milk. On the surface, it's simply fresh milk, cooked to remove about 60% of its water content and sweetened with enough sugar to form a heavy syrup. Yet, along the way, Maillard browning creates this beautiful complexity, giving it a toasty, toffee-like character.

Condensed milk is cow's milk from which water has been removed (roughly 60% of it). It is most often found with sugar added, in the form of sweetened condensed milk, to the extent that the terms "condensed milk" and "sweetened condensed milk" are often used interchangeably today.

The thick syrup contributes both the sweetness of sugar and the benefits of milk without adding too much liquid since condensing milk removes moisture and concentrates the natural sugars. These sugars then take on toasty notes as they warm up and bake in the dessert.

Sweetened condensed milk (SCM) is essentially a high-viscosity suspension of lactose crystals, fat globules, casein, and whey proteins in a saturated solution of lactose and sucrose. Its rheological behavior is complex. SCM exhibits age thickening, which occurs faster at higher storage temperatures.

Due to the sugar addition, condensed milk is more durable than evaporated milk. The benefits of regular milk are boosted in condensed milk since it contains more sugar. Condensed milk is a good source of these nutrients in addition to calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin A, riboflavin, phosphorus, and protein.

Cream of coconut is a great substitute for sweetened condensed milk, giving a hint of tropical flavor. It's dairy-free and can be substituted cup for cup. The thick consistency of cream of coconut closely resembles sweetened condensed milk, allowing for similar richness in many recipes.

Can I drink sweetened condensed milk? It is a ready-to-use product so it may be consumed without any other preparation. You can add it to everyday items like in your coffee, on toast with cinnamon, on fruit or yogurt, and in any way you see fit.

Using sweetened condensed milk to boost calorie content may be more beneficial than using sugar alone since the product also provides extra protein, fat and some bone-healthy minerals like calcium and phosphorus. You can store sweetened condensed milk for a long time without refrigeration.

If you open an UNopened can, you will find that the milk may become a little more dark in colour after a year or two, but this is completely safe, and the product can be used for as long as you like. Please forget expiry dates in this type of product. If the can is rusty and leaking, or contaminated, throw it out.

Gail Borden Jr first condensed milk in 1853 in an attempt to create a milk product that was shelf stable. He opened 2 factories to produce his product, but both ultimately failed, and it wasn't until the 3rd factory opened in 1864 that his condensed milk, sold under the name Eagle Brand, caught on.

Can bacteria live in condensed milk? ›

(e) Pathogenic bacteria are nearly always absent. Aside from the true bacteria there too have been found in condensed milk organisms of the torula class and molds.

Additionally, the increased demand for the product has driven up its price, as manufacturers are unable to keep up with the demand. This has led to a rise in the cost of the product, which has further limited its availability.

Evaporated milk is milk that has been heated so that about 60% of the water evaporates. It is then canned and can be used as you would half-and-half, since it is extra creamy! Condensed milk is made in a similar way, but sugar is added to it so that about 45% of its content is sugar.

Can I drink sweetened condensed milk? It is a ready-to-use product so it may be consumed without any other preparation. You can add it to everyday items like in your coffee, on toast with cinnamon, on fruit or yogurt, and in any way you see fit.

Substitutions. While we don't recommend substituting condensed milk for evaporated milk or vice versa, you can make your own condensed milk when you're in a pinch. Simply heat together 1½ cups of sugar and one can of evaporated milk until the sugar has fully dissolved.