Milk is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many ways. It can be a marinade, flavor enhancer, or even something that can improve the texture of your dish. Who doesn’t love a super-creamy mac and cheese, right?
Admittedly, cooking with milk can be a little intimidating. With the right techniques, however, milk gives you some of the most delectable dishes you’ve ever had.
Thankfully, milk isn’t as hard to handle as some might think. Once you’ve mastered these four tricks, which use evaporated and condensed milk, you’ll open up a world of creamy goodness in your kitchen. Watch this video, and then read on for more tips and recipes:
How to Steep Flavors in Milk
Milk tea pancakes and strawberry leche flan are just some of the quirkier things you can make once you learn how to infuse different flavors in milk. For a more savory flavor, you can also use herbs, spices, and aromatics like chili and garlic.
Steeping sweet or savory flavors in milk is incredibly easy to do. All you need are a can of evaporated milk and your chosen flavoring. Follow the instructions below to learn how to create a creamy and savory soup base.
1 In a pot, add Carnation Evap to your broth base. Add your desired herbs, aromatics, and spices. Bring it to a boil, then let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
2 Turn off the heat, and let the mixture stand for another 10 to 15 minutes to let all the flavors incorporate.
3 Don’t forget to give it a taste to check the flavor.
How to Create Your Own Buttermilk
If you want breading that packs a nice tang in each bite or pancakes that are extra-fluffy, you’ll want to use buttermilk in your recipe. You can also use buttermilk as a marinade, such as in this irresistible buttermilk fried chicken recipe.
To make buttermilk, you’ll need to combine milk with a little bit of acid for added flavor, as well as to activate leavening agents in your batter.
In this recipe, you’ll need vinegar, lemon juice, and a can of evaporated milk.
1 Pour a can of Carnation Evap into a plastic or glass bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and give it a quick stir.
2 Let the mixture stand for about 30 minutes at room temperature.
3 If the milk curdles, stir it again to smoothen the mixture out.
How to Make Béchamel Sauce
As one of the five “mother sauces,” a creamy béchamel serves as the foundation for countless other sauces, making it a recipe everyone needs to know. You can use béchamel to make a delicious cream sauce or add it to dishes like lasagna.
To make béchamel sauce, all you need are evaporated milk, herbs, spices, butter, and flour.
1 Heat Carnation Evap in a pot. Add some herbs and spices for flavor. Set aside.
2 In a pan, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add in 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour, stirring constantly. When the mixture starts to bubble, you’ve made a roux blanc, an excellent thickener for sauces.
3 Strain the hot Carnation Evap mixture onto the roux in small portions, while still stirring. This will help guarantee a smooth, velvety béchamel.
How to Bake With a Velvety Texture
For smooth, velvety cakes and bread, the secret is combining all your dry ingredients first, then all wet ingredients, before mixing them together.
Try adding Carnation Condensada to the recipe. The added moisture will help make your pastries creamier, giving them a luxurious mouthfeel. Just mix in the condensed milk with the rest of your wet ingredients, and then bake as normal.
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