It may be our #1 pantry staple, but we still don’t know what condensed milk actually is. Quite embarrassing, really. So, we took matters into our own hands and did some investigating: What even is the luscious, sweet, thick canned ingredient? Can you make it at home? What do you use it for?
How is condensed milk made?
So, how does ordinary milk transform into something so thick, luscious and sweet? Taste.com.au’s Digital Food Director, Amira Georgy, said: “It’s made of full-cream cow’s milk that has been heated to remove some of the water content and, as the name suggests, sugar is added to the reduced milk in order to prolong its shelf life and to give it a thicker consistency.”
What is the difference between condensed milk and evaporated milk?
In order to make condensed milk, it actually has to first become evaporated milk. The difference is that evaporated milk is the unsweetened version of condensed milk. Otherwise, both are shelf-stable milk products which have been heated until 60% of the water content has evaporated.
What is condensed milk used for?
Where to even begin? There’s always a can of condensed milk in the Taste Test Kitchen pantry, and for a very good reason. Most commonly known as an ingredient in desserts like rocky road, our beloved condensed milk Anzac slab (only 5 ingredients required btw), and even an easy soft serve.
Amira also swears by having a can on hand at all times: “I always keep a can of condensed milk in the pantry as I love using it to whip up things like 3-ingredient cheesecakes, tea cakes, and chocolate truffles.” It’s seriously a baking life-saver.
But what if we told you that condensed milk works in savoury dishes too? We know, it’s hard to get your head around the fact that something so decadent and sweet can be used in tonight’s dinner. But our condensed milk chicken curry will prove otherwise.
Condensed milk chicken curry? Yes, it exists and yes, it works
Using massaman paste, Amira created a sweet, creamy, yet spicy and savoury chicken curry starring the one and only… condensed milk. Although it might seem odd, it creates the perfect balance of flavours and textures, making it an on-repeat dinner for many Aussies.
She said: “While sweetened condensed milk is often used in sweet recipes, such as caramel, truffles and slices, I actually love adding it to curries to add a hint of sweetness. Because sweetened condensed milk is already thick, when you add it to curries, it thickens the sauce further and adds almost a caramel-like flavour.”
Can you make condensed milk at home?
You can! Although it won’t be as easy as heading to the Coles canned food aisle, condensed milk can definitely be made at home with a few nifty hacks. We created a do-it-yourself version made of butter, milk powder, caster sugar and water, and it’s saved us on the few occasions where we realised we didn’t have a can in our pantry. You can find the full recipe here.
We turned condensed milk into mayonnaise (and yes, it actually works)
ICYMI, you can make mayonnaise out of condensed milk
It was only in 2020 we realised that many Aussies make mayo at home, with one unexpected ingredient… condensed milk. Combining mustard and vinegar with condensed milk apparently makes what some say is “the only mayo to have”. You can find out more about this unconventional condiment creation here.
More condensed milk recipes:
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