Evaporated Milk | Baking Ingredients | BAKERpedia (2024)

Origins of Evaporated Milk

The idea for evaporated milk was born as a solution for transporting milk in the 1850s. During that time, bacteria made drinking and shipping milk a risky business. Gail Borden, a dairy farmer, considered this problem while accompanying his milk cows on a ship from London to the United States. The cows became seasick, so they could not be milked to feed hungry infant passengers. Once home, Borden began testing ways to process and package milk to endure long journeys. After discovering milk was over 80 percent water, Borden boiled the water off the top to create evaporated milk. After further tests, obtaining a patent, and teaming up with grocery wholesale owner Jeremiah Milbank, the first Eagle Brand Consolidated Milk production plant was opened in 1864.

Evaporated milk was not an instant success. Consumers had a hard time getting used to the taste and it was blamed for an outbreak of rickets in 1905, due to its lack of nutrients. However, the Union Army purchased evaporated milk in 1861 for rations, which helped boost the product’s popularity. Today, under two percent of all U.S. milk production is evaporated or condensed.

Application

Evaporated milk is easy to incorporate into almost any recipe and product. It can be purchased in low-fat and fat free options. Bakers often use it as a substitute for cream to help reduce fat content.

To substitute for a cup of regular milk, add in one part evaporated milk and one part water. For a more fresh-milk taste, add half the called for milk with evaporated milk, and the rest with water. Cream can also be used to even out the evaporated milk instead of water. Evaporated milk is stored at room temperature, and it is advised against freezing it.

FDA Regulations

Under FDA regulations, evaporated milk should contain at least 6.5 percent by weight of milk fat, 16.5 percent by weight of milk solids not fat, and 23 percent by weight of total milk solids. There must also be 25 international units of vitamin D. Evaporated milk is recognized as GRAS by the FDA.

References:

1. Muir, D. D. “The Stability and Shelf Life of Milk and Milk Products.” The Stability and Shelf Life of Milk and Milk Products. Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, 2011. Web. 24 Aug. 2015.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978184569701350027X

2. Crowe, L.k., and Darrell D. Deane. “A Study of the Characteristics of a Milk Supply as Related to the Manufacture of Plain Condensed Skimmilk for Ice Cream Making.” Journal of Dairy Science 23.9 (1940): 919-29. Web.

Evaporated Milk | Baking Ingredients | BAKERpedia (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in evaporated milk? ›

Ingredients: MILK, CONTAINS 0.5% OR LESS OF: DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CARRAGEENAN, VITAMIN D3.

What happens if you don't have enough evaporated milk? ›

Thus, heavy cream can easily be substituted for recipes that call for evaporated milk. How to Substitute: For 12 ounces of evaporated milk, combine 3 ounces of whole milk and 9 ounces of heavy cream.

Is evaporated milk healthy? ›

Evaporated milk is nutritious

Just like fresh milk or powdered milk, evaporated milk is a healthy choice. It provides nutrients needed for healthy bones: protein, calcium, vitamins A and D. Evaporated milk is sold in cans. It comes in skim, 1%, 2% or hom*ogenized (3.25%) versions.

Can diabetics have evaporated milk? ›

Switch to low-fat dairy.

Many dairy products used in cooking and baking are high in fat. You can lower the fat content without compromising taste. Instead of whole milk or half-and-half, use 1% or skim milk or evaporated skim milk.

What are the ingredients in no name evaporated milk? ›

Ingredients. Evaporated Milk, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Ascorbate (vitamin C),carrageenan, Vitamin D3. We do our best to be accurate with respect to the advertised ingredients, nutritional information, product images and descriptions listed on our app/website.

How do you make evaporated milk step by step? ›

Production. Evaporated milk is made from fresh, hom*ogenised milk from which 60% of the water has been removed. After the water has been removed, the product is chilled, stabilised, sterilised and packaged. It is commercially sterilised at 240–245 °F (115–118 °C) for 15 minutes.

How is canned evaporated milk made? ›

Evaporated milk is simply fresh milk that's been heated until about 60 percent of its water content has evaporated. From here, the evaporated milk is hom*ogenized, canned and heat sterilized. There are three different kinds of evaporated milk depending on the milk's fat content: whole milk, low-fat and skim.

Is it cheaper to make your own evaporated milk? ›

To make this recipe you only need milk. There are no extra additives and no can! The cost of the same amount of homemade compared to canned is pennies. LET'S LEARN HOW TO MAKE EVAPORATED MILK!

What is the bad effect of evaporated milk? ›

Potential downsides. Evaporated milk may be problematic for people with lactose intolerance or cow's milk allergy (CMA), as it contains more lactose and milk proteins per volume, compared with regular milk. Lactose is the main type of carb found in milk and dairy products ( 20 ).

Can evaporated milk go bad? ›

And while milk might only last a week in the refrigerator, unopened evaporated milk that is properly stored can last up to two years. But how can you tell when it's gone bad? In short, by looking at it. If your milk has turned dark yellow or brown, don't use it.

Why cant you drink evaporated milk? ›

So, now we know that evaporated milk is safe to drink from its container, but just because you can consume it this way doesn't necessarily mean you'll want to. Since evaporated milk is thick and creamy, the consistency will be completely different than a regular carton that you're used to.

What's the point of evaporated milk? ›

Evaporated milk gives body to smoothies, thickens up and sweetens coffee, and adds nuance and richness to creamy soups and chowders, not to mention savory sauces and even oatmeal. If you don't have much of a sweet tooth, you can also use it in place of sweetened condensed milk in plenty of desserts.

Is evaporated milk full of sugar? ›

Made using fresh milk, CARNATION Evaporated Milk is a delightfully creamy, classic topping for your customers' favourite desserts from a fresh fruit salad to a sticky toffee pudding. No added sugar (but it does contain naturally occurring sugars), preservatives or colours.

Is evaporated milk good in coffee? ›

On its own, evaporated milk is thick and creamy, making it an excellent replacement for half and half or creamer in your coffee or tea. You can also experiment with adding it to smoothies, milkshakes, soup, or pasta sauces, although you'll want to use less than you would with regular milk.

What makes evaporated milk different from regular milk? ›

What is evaporated milk? Evaporated milk is just what it sounds like. It's milk that has gone through a cooking process to remove—or evaporate—over half of the water content. The resulting liquid is creamier and thicker than regular whole milk, making it the perfect addition to both sweet and savory dishes.

Does all evaporated milk have carrageenan? ›

Evaporated milk generally contains disodium phosphate (to prevent coagulation) and carrageenan (to prevent solids from settling), as well as added vitamins C and D.

Is evaporated milk still dairy? ›

As its name suggests, evaporated milk is a dairy product made by removing about 60% of the water from cow's milk through a slow heating process. Once the water is removed, the mixture, which is about 7% fat, is hom*ogenized into an emulsion, then canned and sterilized. 56 Grilled Cheeses: Which One is Best?

How to tell if evaporated milk is bad? ›

Besides looking inside the can to evaluate the milk's color, you can also give it a quick sniff test. If the smell is off, that's yet another sign the can has spoiled. Also, short of tasting it, you can stir the contents to make sure the milk is still smooth. If it's lumpy, it's time to toss.

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