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Condensed milk is a stable dairy product made by evaporating water from milk and adding sugar before canning. It was invented in the mid-1800s for easy transportation and consumption. Evaporated milk is similar but without added sugar. Both are used in baking and drinks.
Condensed milk is a highly stable dairy product made by evaporating much of the water from the milk to create a thick, syrupy liquid and adding sugar before canning the milk in a sterilized can. When done well, a can can last unopened on the shelf for up to two years. A related dairy offering, evaporated milk, is made similarly, but no sugar is added. Many grocery stores carry both types of milk for use as beverages and in baking projects.
The inspiration for condensed milk came in the mid-1800s when it was difficult to get milk in remote regions from dairies. Milk also tended to be harvested in unclean conditions and may sometimes be unsafe to drink. Gail Borden, an inventor, pioneered the idea of removing some of the water content from milk and adding a stabilizer before storing the result, in hopes that she could develop a stable dairy product that could be easily transported and sold. . In 1864, the established Eagle Brand began to be produced.
Initially, condensed milk was intended to be used as a drink, consumed plain or diluted with water. People who didn’t have access to fresh milk would use condensed or evaporated milk instead, and many companies began supplementing their products to ensure they were nutritionally valuable to consumers. As pasteurization and refrigeration became more commonplace, fresh milk replaced the condensed drink, but some recipes still call for the product and it can even be useful for camping trips.
To make condensed milk, high-quality milk is first pasteurized to remove any potential contamination. The pasteurized milk is transferred to a sealed evaporator in a closed tube system and subjected to low pressure, which lowers the boiling point of the milk. As a result, lower heat can be used to remove up to 60% of the water content of the milk, which is homogenized, stabilized, sweetened and canned in sterile containers. The sugar helps fight bacteria, making the resulting milk particularly stable.
Some consumers confuse condensed milk and evaporated milk, as the two products are very similar. As a general rule, evaporated milk is sugar-free, while the condensed variety has been made with sugar. Some old recipes might specify the use of “sweetened condensed milk” to ensure cooks don’t use evaporated milk. This milk is also often used in drinks, adding a thick texture and sweet milky flavor to things like Thai iced tea.
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