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Quick Condensed Milk

#dessert #component

Homemade sweetened condensed milk traditionally requires ultra-low heat and up to 6 hours of constant stirring, but with a splash of heavy cream added to prevent scorching, I can crank up the heat and be done in 45 minutes. The result is thicker, creamier, and more luscious than anything from a can, with a rich dairy flavor and subtle notes of caramel. If you like chai tea, be sure to try the cinnamon-spiced variation.

Ingredients and Method

Quantity Ingredient Procedure
1000g Whole Milk Combine milk, cream, sugar, and salt in a 1.5l stainless steel saucier. If using a scale, weigh the pot and ingredients together so you can easily track the reduction.

Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a heat resistant spatula, until the milk begins to simmer, about 12 minutes. Continue cooking another 30 minutes more, scraping continuously to prevent a milky buildup from forming around the sides.

When the thickened milk-syrup suddenly begins to foam, it’s almost done. Keep simmering and stirring until the foam subsides and the dairy has condensed to exactly 500g.
180g Pure Cream ^
210g Sugar ^
1g Sea Salt ^
Key Point: Even slightly acidic ingredients will cause hot dairy to curdle, including raw cane sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey, and agave. Take care when experimenting with ingredients not listed in the variations.
The timing of this recipe may vary considerably depending on the heat output of your stove and the size, shape, and heaviness of your pot. If it takes considerably longer than 12 minutes to bring the milk to a simmer, you can safely increase the heat to medium-high in order to reduce the dairy within the allotted time. Conversely, should the milk begin to simmer much faster, reduce the heat to medium-low to prevent the dairy from cooking too hard. Simmer, don't boil.

Variations

Chai Spice: Along with the sugar, add two 4-inch cinnamon sticks, ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, ½ teaspoon whole allspice berries, 10 whole black peppercorns, 5 whole cloves, and 6 white cardamom pods, gently cracked. Proceed as directed. ED: I haven't tried it but I suspect this would be belting with an American Pumpkin Pie.

Goat’s-Milk: This variation is more easily digested by those with lactose intolerance, and because goat’s milk won’t curdle when it’s boiled, there’s no need for cream. Trust me, there’s nothing “goaty” about it—just gentle creaminess anyone can enjoy. Replace milk and cream with 38 ounces (4¾ cups) goat’s milk and proceed as directed. Note: This variation requires “ultra-high temperature” pasteurised goat’s milk, as raw or low-heat pasteurised versions may turn grainy with prolonged cooking.

Lavender: During the cooking process, lavender mellows into something soft and aromatic, without any hint of the soapiness that can so often be its downfall. Add 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds along with the sugar.

Rosemary: Wonderfully herbaceous, this variation is my absolute favourite way to make American Pumpkin Pie. Add a 4-inch sprig of fresh rosemary along with the sugar.

Ice Cream: This egg-less ice cream has an unbelievably pure and creamy flavour, with a silkiness that reminds me of Dairy Queen soft serve. Prepare the Quick Condensed Milk or any variation and pour into a large bowl. Add 10 ounces (1¼ cups) heavy cream, 2 ounces (¼ cup) whole milk, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (half as much if iodised), and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and mix well. Chill until cold, about 2 hours, and churn according to the directions for Double-Vanilla Ice Cream (page 334).

Vanilla Bean: I make this variation whenever I have an empty vanilla bean left over from another project, as the cooking process will extract considerable flavour from even the most withered pod (the sheer volume of seeds in a “fresh” pod can turn the milk grey). Add scraped vanilla pod to the milk and proceed as directed. To deepen the flavour, leave the vanilla pod in the jar of Quick Condensed Milk.