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I'm just a girl who loves evaporated milk.

03/04/07 @ 04:23:27 am, by Kristen Email 7941 views • Categories: Food

Seriously, I do.

evaporated milk gets its closeup

[More:]

When my husband and I went to the Netherlands on our honeymoon, I fell in love with not just the fantastic coffee, but the slightly sweet, creamy milk the Dutch use in it. In Dutch, it's simply called koffiemelk. The EU calls it "[p]artly dehydrated milk containing, by weight, not less than 7,5 % fat and not less than 25 % total milk solids." And here in the US, we call it evaporated milk. (Which is not the same as condensed milk, also known as sweetened condensed milk. I learned that the hard way, after putting it in my coffee once, not long after said honeymoon.)

Since that time (with the exception of my aforementioned foray into veganism), I always have no less than four or five cans of evaporated milk on hand, including an open can in my fridge, at any given time. In fact, I get a little panicky if I open the very last can of milk. I'm loathe to admit it, but finding there's no evaporated milk for my morning coffee has, on more than one occasion, reduced me to tears.

Okay, now a little food history, because I'm nerdy like that: the first evaporated milk was produced in 1885, although condensed milk had already been around for almost thirty years by then. Condensed milk contains sugar, which acts as a preservative — and without that sugar, evaporated milk was prone to spoilage. That is, until John B. Meyenberg invented a new way to heat the cans evenly, sterilizing the contents. (And if you're wondering why the Meyenberg name seems familiar, Meyenberg's son, ironically, was allergic to milk, and he went on to found Meyenberg Goat Milk Products, offering what else? Evaporated goat milk.)

Anyway, back here in this century, you'll find evaporated (cow) milk in the baking aisle of any grocery stores — and more often than not, it's both overpriced and under a scary-looking layer of dust. I've found that stores in predominately Asian and/or Latino neighborhoods usually have cans of evaporated milk for less than a dollar each (really, don't bother paying more than a buck a can), and with less eminent expiration dates than the grungy supermarket cans, so you can feel free to stock up.

Now that you know where it came from and how to get it, what can you do with evaporated milk? It would be easier to say what can't you do with it. Well, you can't make it into whipped cream. It just doesn't work.

Other than that, you can use it undiluted in any recipe that calls for cream, or you reconstitute it to substitute for milk. (I've yet to notice this substitution make a difference, but I've read it can make yeast breads slightly sweeter.) Because it's already cooked, evaporated milk can withstand high temperatures without curdling, making cream-based soups and sauces easier. But, by far, my favorite thing to make with evaporated milk is the following:

Really Easy Chocolate Pudding

chocolate delight

  • 1 cup sugar
  • .5 cup cocoa
  • .25 cup all-purpose flour
  • pinch of salt
  • one 12 oz. can evaporated milk
  • 1 cup water
  • optional: flavored extract

In a saucepan, combine dry ingredients. Slowly add milk and water; stir until smooth. (I use a stick blender, just to be sure all the lumps are out.) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.

Stirring constantly, let simmer until desired pudding-like consistency is reached, anywhere from 1-5 minutes, depending on how thick you like it to be. Remove from heat and taste. I usually like it as is, but if you feel it’s a little lacking, stir in half a teaspoon (or more, if you like) of any flavored extract — almond, mint, vanilla, rum; whatever you like with chocolate.

Cool to room temperature, stirring (or blending) several times.

Eat while still slightly warm or refrigerate uncovered (if you are a fan of pudding skin) or lay a piece of plastic wrap or parchment on the surface (if you are not).

As always, to read more from me (someone who just got the latest version of Photoshop)...



Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: Kim Hakkenberg [Visitor] · http://www.acrossthelana.blogspot.com
I have to admit I love it too! Here where we are you can't buy coffee cream and evaporated milk does a good job in my coffee. Hubby (who is Dutch) winces when he sees me with the can. And I also get panicky when my stock runs low!
PermalinkPermalink 03/04/07 @ 10:42
Comment from: Murdoch [Visitor]
Your choice, of course, but I'm amazed that anyone would want to drink evaporated milk in coffee! To my mind it's almost as bad as that disgusting stuff in little plastic pots that tacky restaurants bring out because they're more interested in money than in taste.

It has its place, certainly, and it's a very useful shortcut for kulfi although I guess many Indian cooks would blanch at the idea. Still, opening three or four tins rather than boiling down a pan of milk for two to three hours can be useful, even if you do need to step up the cardamom somewhat to mask that slightly funny taste. Try it!
PermalinkPermalink 03/04/07 @ 12:37
Comment from: Inqusitor Tom [Visitor] · http://firesteeldoughnuts.blogspot.com/
This stuff is great! Especially at tacky restaurants. It makes the hellish coffee good. I've found nothing better for upgrading shitty coffee to crappy coffee. I'll take it over powdered any day.
PermalinkPermalink 03/04/07 @ 18:17
Comment from: tut-tut [Visitor] · http://inside-the-shell.blogspot.com
Well, thank you. I have cans in my cupboard, just because my mother always did. But what if they've "expired"??
PermalinkPermalink 03/05/07 @ 04:58
Comment from: Christine [Visitor] · http://gypsysoul73.blogspot.com
You're not alone! I grew up pouring evap milk in my cereal and oatmeal, and pretty much everything else you normally pour milk into. It's a Filipino thing I think too. Even today after making the switch to fresh milk, I taste the difference. It's just not as creamy and good.

And I learned to love condensed milk in my coffee after having my first cup of Vietnamese coffee! Yum! :)

That pudding looks divine! :)
PermalinkPermalink 03/06/07 @ 19:53
Comment from: nate [Visitor] Email
Sliced bananas, sugar sprinklrd over, covered with evaporated milk!!!
PermalinkPermalink 03/17/07 @ 20:30
Comment from: ashleen [Visitor] Email
we always bring a stock of koffie melk everytime we go back to holland( hubby dutch), was online trying to buy some when i came accross your page. Tell me it's really true evaporated milk tastes exactly the same...............oh cant wait to get to shops tomorrow to check it out.
Thanks
PermalinkPermalink 04/18/07 @ 12:07
Comment from: Kristen [Member] Email · http://www.gezellig-girl.com
I think it's virtually indistinguishable from koffiemelk, but I guess that will really be up to your husband to say.

Veel geluk!
PermalinkPermalink 04/18/07 @ 13:04
Comment from: Elizabeth [Visitor] Email
Question:
You mentioned that evaporated milk can be reconstituted to substitute for regular milk in recipes. What ratio of evaporated milk to water would you recommend? Thanks!
PermalinkPermalink 04/23/07 @ 12:54
Comment from: Kristen [Member] Email · http://www.gezellig-girl.com
I usually go with a 1:1 ratio of evaporated milk and water to approximate whole milk.
PermalinkPermalink 04/23/07 @ 13:05
Comment from: fatjake [Visitor] Email · http://www.isolrocks.com
Evaporated milk tastes just as good as heavy cream in coffee.
PermalinkPermalink 05/20/07 @ 18:46
Comment from: Tina [Visitor] Email
Has anyone ever substitued milk and used evaporated milk instead in a frosting. I'm trying to make a cake for my daughters birthday but been that things are very tight right now I don't have any milk for the frosting recipe that I have so I am wondering if it would taste different/worse with E.M. instead of milk and if I can How do I do so. Thanks to anyone who can help!!!
PermalinkPermalink 06/30/07 @ 10:51
Comment from: ilikecoffee [Visitor] · http://www.winninghorseracingbets.com
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PermalinkPermalink 09/25/08 @ 23:03
Comment from: paul hinnen [Visitor] Email
Thanks for documenting this info. I found a can in my cupboard a few months back and wondered if I could use it for cream in my coffee. Everyone I asked said they did not think so, so I came online to find out.
PermalinkPermalink 06/14/09 @ 12:46

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