Condensed milk and evaporated milk are often confused with each other. While “condensed” and “evaporated” are similar terms, their resemblance ends there. Unsweetened condensed milk is simply evaporated milk and is always labeled as evaporated milk. Sweetened condensed milk, however, is a completely different product, and the two should never be used interchangeably.
Understanding the Differences Between Evaporated and Condensed Milk
Evaporated milk is exactly what the name implies: normal milk that has been heated, typically by steam, until it has evaporated to 40% of its original volume. This means that 60% of the water has been removed. This process does a couple of things: First, it concentrates the milk sugars, making the milk taste sweeter by volume. Second, it increases the viscosity of the milk, making it thicker. This thickening is important in some recipes because evaporated milk contributes a lot of the body to the finished product. It’s commonly used as a lighter alternative to heavy cream in baked goods, desserts, soups, and sauces.
Evaporated milk has a long shelf life, making it a great item to keep in your pantry for emergencies and preparedness. It can be turned back into drinkable regular milk (of sorts) by mixing it with an equal portion of water. For those watching their weight, evaporated milk is available in low-fat and non-fat versions. If you are lactose-intolerant, goat’s milk evaporated milk is also an option.
For a substitute, you can make a version of evaporated milk by using powdered milk and using only half the water you would normally use. Alternatively, you can reduce regular milk in a double boiler, but that requires effort. It’s much easier to just make a quick trip to the store.
Condensed milk, which is actually sweetened condensed milk, is evaporated milk with a lot of sugar added—up to 40% by weight. It is then heated until the sugars begin to caramelize, resulting in a syrupy, custardy-thick, and extremely sweet product. It provides body and sweetness to baked goods, drinks, and candies.
If you need condensed milk but don’t have any on hand, there are a few workarounds. The easiest method is to add 30%–40% sugar to unflavored yogurt. This technique also works for kefir. You can also add 40% sugar to evaporated milk and heat it until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency and starts to caramelize. However, it’s not really worth the trouble. Unless you live in a very remote area, a trip to the store is much easier.
The powdered milk trick won’t work for condensed milk unless you heat it in a double boiler, as part of the flavor of condensed milk comes from the caramelized sugars. Again, it’s not worth the effort. If you’re diabetic or don’t want all the sugar, you can use Splenda (sucralose) in the yogurt. Keep in mind, though, that this won’t give you the same body as real sugar, and it’s not sugar-free—yogurt contains some sugar in the form of lactose. It’s also not calorie-free, so you can’t get something for nothing.
These tricks should help you in the kitchen when you find yourself temporarily short of these two products. Of course, the best way to avoid these situations is to practice good kitchen procedures by assembling all your ingredients before you start cooking.
