FOOD NEWS
How Sweetened Condensed Milk Is Actually Made
By Elias Nash
Sweetened condensed milk is an essential ingredient in several desserts, such as flan, key lime pie, and tres leches cake, providing a balanced blend of creaminess and sweetness. One feature of this versatile ingredient is that you don’t need to refrigerate it unless it’s opened, thanks to how it’s made.
Sweetened condensed milk is made by heating fresh milk until 60% of its water has evaporated, adding sugar for sweetness, then canning it for preservation. Sweetened condensed milk is typically 40-45% sugar, which not only sweetens the milk but also extends its shelf life by preventing certain microorganisms from growing.
Like most fresh milk, condensed milk is homogenized and comes in whole, low-fat, and skim varieties, and an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk can keep for over a year. It can sometimes have a light brown color, which is perfectly normal, but if you open a can and see a dark brown or yellow liquid, you should throw it out.