All About  >  Milk/Cream

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Description

• Cow’s milk, the most commonly used milk in recipes, provides moisture, flavor, texture and color to baked products.
  
  
• There are many kinds of milk that can be used in baking:
  
  
  • Whole milk has had no fat removed and contains 3-1/2% milk fat.
    
    
  • Reduced Fat or Low Fat milk has had some fat removed and contains either 2% or 1% milk fat.
    
    
  • Fat free or Non-fat (skim) milk contains not more than 1/2% milk fat.
    
    
  • Buttermilk traditionally was the liquid remaining after butter was churned. Today it is made by adding a culture to low-fat or non-fat milk, which gives it a thick texture and tangy flavor.
    
    
  • Dry milk has had almost all the moisture removed. Buttermilk, whole milk, and non-fat milk all come in dried form.
    
    
  • Half-and-half is a mixture of milk and cream and contains between 10.5% and 18% milk fat.
    
    
  • Light cream, sometimes called table or coffee cream, may contain from 18 to 30% fat, but most often contains 20% fat.
    
    
  • Heavy cream may be referred to as heavy whipping cream, and has a milk fat content of 36% to 40%.
    
    
  • Ultrapasteurized cream is cream that has been briefly heated at temperatures up to 300°F. to kill microorganisms that may sour the cream. It has a longer shelf-life than fresh cream. Because of the higher heat used to pasteurize the cream, ultrapasteurized cream may take slightly longer to whip.
    
    
  • Evaporated milk is milk that has had 60% of its water removed.
    
    
  • Sweetened condensed milk has 50% of the water removed. The remaining mixture is 40% sugar and very sticky and sweet.
  
  

Storage

• Milk, cream and buttermilk should be stored in the original container, refrigerated at 35° to 40° F. and consumed by the "Use by" date on the carton. Fresh milk should have a delicate, sweet milk flavor. Do not use milk that smells sour or has an unnatural color.
  
  
• Unopened cans of evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk may be stored at room temperature for up to 12 months. After opening, store unused milk in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within five days.
  
  
• Unopened packages of non-fat dry milk powder and buttermilk powder may be stored at room temperature in a cool dry place for up to six months.
  
  
• Do not freeze milk, cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk. Freezing changes the texture and may cause separation of milk fat.
  
  

Substitutions

• You may use whole milk, reduced fat and fat free milk interchangeably in recipes.
  
  
• Substitute for 1 cup buttermilk
  
  
  • Place 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup. Add enough milk to equal 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes before using.
  
  
• Substitute for 1 cup refrigerated fresh milk:
  
  
  • Use 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water.
  
  
• Substitute dry milk powder for fresh milk:
  
  
  • Mix the milk powder with water according to package directions.
  
  
• Substitute for one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk:
  
  
  • Combine 1 cup instant nonfat dry milk, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup boiling water and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Process in food processor or blender until smooth. Store in refrigerator.
  
  
• Do not use evaporated milk as a substitute for sweetened condensed milk.