Understand the difference between evaporated and sweetened condensed milk (2024)

FAQs

Understand the difference between evaporated and sweetened condensed milk? ›

Both are concentrated, shelf-stable milk products that have been heated until at least 60 percent of their water content has evaporated. The main difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk is that evaporated milk is unsweetened while condensed milk is sweetened.

Although it may be tempting, because of the added sugar, you should generally avoid substituting sweetened condensed milk in any recipe that calls for evaporated. If you don't have evaporated milk available, it's possible to substitute a cup of light cream, or you can make your own.

It's thicker and sweeter than evaporated milk, which means the two cannot be used interchangeably. It's typically used to make rich desserts, such as magic cookie bars, tres leches cakes or an easy caramel sauce. Just two tablespoons of condensed milk contain 18 grams of added sugar.

As Leal explains: "Evaporated milk offers creaminess without sweetness and is suitable for savory dishes and some desserts. On the other hand, sweetened condensed milk is intensely sweet and used in desserts and sweet treats, thanks to its thick, syrupy texture."

However, condensed milk has much more sugar in it. This is the reason why you get a sweet coffee when you add condensed milk to it. Evaporated milk does not make your coffee this sweet. It is more about neutralizing the coffee bitterness than making it acquire sweet taste.

Use Evaporated Milk- Make sure to use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. If you accidentally use sweetened condensed milk your fudge will be incredibly over the top sweet. Cut up the Butter– Before adding the butter in make sure to cut it into smaller pieces for faster melting.

Sweetened condensed milk can last for several months when stored properly in the refrigerator or freezer. Once opened, it should be kept in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator. If it's kept in the refrigerator, it should last for about 2-3 weeks.

Because condensed milk is more concentrated than the same volume of regular milk, it contains more lactose. Sweetened condensed milk includes a lot of calories, but it also has a lot of saturated fat, which is dangerous for people with diabetes and heart issues.

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 ).

Evaporated milk starts out as fresh milk and is heated to drive off more than half of the water. Add water and use it as milk or pour it straight out of the can and use it as half-and-half. Creamy, rich and perfect for baking, custards, soups and even ice cream.

Why do people put condensed milk in coffee? ›

If so, you know that the sweet, syrupy taste of condensed milk serves as the perfect counterpoint to the smokiness of dark-roast robusta coffee, creating a bold beverage that packs as much of a punch with flavor as it does with caffeine.

In fact, each fluid ounce of evaporated milk contains less than half the amount of calories and about one-fourth the amount of fat as heavy cream. “It works best in a 1:1 substitution in recipes like casseroles, soups and sauces, offering a similar texture but lighter consistency,” explains Brigham.

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. Two years is a long time, so if you can't remember how long you've had your evaporated milk, be extra cautious so you can avoid using an expired can.

Sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk cannot be used interchangeably in recipes due to their different properties and flavors. Condensed milk adds sweetness and creaminess to recipes, while evaporated milk provides richness and a creamy texture without added sweetness.

With its very similar consistency, 1 cup of heavy cream can replace 1 cup of evaporated milk in sweet and savory dishes. While the flavor will be blander than evaporated milk's unique caramelized tones, the texture will be noticeably richer.

Add water: Add an equal amount of water to the condensed milk. For example, if you have 1 cup of condensed milk, add 1 cup of water. Mix thoroughly: Stir or whisk the condensed milk and water mixture until they are well combined. This will ensure an even distribution of fat and water.

Is sweetened condensed milk better than evaporated milk in pumpkin pie? Not necessarily. If you use sweetened condensed milk, the recipe will typically leave out additional sugar. Whereas, if the recipe calls for only evaporated milk the recipe will add additional sugar.