You would find both condensed milk and evaporated milk at your neighborhood convenience stores or at the superstores. They would often be placed next to one another and that would add to your existing confusion about the difference between condensed and evaporated milk. There are definite uses of condensed and evaporated milk. We are not talking about the nutritional value or health benefits. Solely from the perspective of cooking or how you would use either or both, there is substantial difference between condensed and evaporated milk, although the two may sound alike and appear to be the same.
What are Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk?
Evaporation and condensation are two correlated processes. Evaporation is usually followed by condensation and the cycle continues in a natural environment. In case of condensed and evaporated milk, both essentially mean the same thing. There can be some technical differences in the processes used by various brands, the machinery could be slightly different and also the exact particulars of the process such as temperature, quantity, density of the raw milk and the resulting product can vary to an extent. What doesn’t change is the basic essence of what the eventual product is.
Both condensed and evaporated milk are made by getting rid of the water. As you may know, almost everything that we have around us growing naturally and what we consume is loaded with water. Whether it is the vegetables or fruits, the eggs or milk, water doesn’t just form a major part of our body and the earth’s crust but also that of foods.
Normal milk is heated and boiled to get rid of the water. As much as 60% of the water is got rid of in most cases to make condensed and evaporated milk. Both condensed and evaporated milk would be substantially thicker and denser than normal milk. They would be creamier, the texture would change, the color wouldn’t be white but a bit like caramel and both would have a prolonged shelf life. The shelf life varies from one brand to another and also depends on the additives that a particular company may use.
Difference Between Condensed and Evaporated Milk
The most pronounced difference between condensed and evaporated milk is the absence of sugar or sweetener in the latter. Condensed milk will almost always be sweetened. Once the water is gotten rid of, the manufacturers use sugar to sweeten it and then can the product. With evaporated milk, no sugar is added and thus it is not sweeter to taste. Condensed milk will taste very sweet or mildly sweet given the quantity of sugar added by the manufacturer. Evaporated milk will taste blander.
Whether you see a can of condensed milk say that it is sweetened or not, be assured that it is sweetened. Even if you come across a can of sweetened evaporated milk, it is essentially condensed milk. Evaporated milk would never have added sugar and thus it would never have any mentioning of sweetened or sweetener on it.
Condensed milk can contain up to 50% sugar in a can. It is thick and rich to taste. The super sweet flavor makes it an ideal ingredient in desserts, pies and all kinds of sweet dishes. Condensed milk is also used in baked foods. The milk that you see being added to tea or coffee at fancy cafes is likely to be condensed milk. It acts as the cream and as a sweetener and of course you get the milk you want to go with your tea or coffee.
Evaporated milk also has its uses. It is used widely in gourmet recipes and savory dishes. Evaporated milk has a shelf life of several months. It is thick, rich in texture and homogenized but it doesn’t have any added sweetener or sweet taste. Evaporated milk is available as whole milk, low fat or skim. Any dish that requires a bit of a milky or creamy and savory texture but without the sweetening effect would need evaporated milk. Evaporated milk is also used in sweets or desserts. One uses the sugar as needed to get the sweetness.
Condensed and Evaporated Milk are Not Interchangeable
It may appear that you can use evaporated milk and add sugar to get the texture of condensed milk or you may want to use condensed milk and try to negate the sweetening effect with some other flavors. Don’t attempt these unless you are really the best chef in the world or the best at the dish you are cooking. It is very hard to get rid of the sweetening effect of condensed milk so your dish would become too sweet if it was to be made with evaporated milk. Likewise, it is not as simple as adding sugar to evaporated milk to get the desired taste which condensed milk would have delivered easily.
