Do I Need Evaporated Or Sweetened Condensed Milk For The Chocolate Pistachio Fudge? | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

FAQs

Is evaporated milk or condensed milk better for fudge? ›

Evaporated milk doesn't have sugar added. The sweetened condended milk is needed as no extra sugar is added to the fudge. If evaporated milk were used then the fudge would not be sweet enough and also would still be too soft unless the fudge is frozen.

As Leal explains: "Evaporated milk offers creaminess without sweetness and is suitable for savory dishes and some desserts. On the other hand, sweetened condensed milk is intensely sweet and used in desserts and sweet treats, thanks to its thick, syrupy texture."

These items are essentially the same with one big difference: no sugar is added to evaporated milk. Sweetened condensed milk also has 60% of the water removed, but contains 40% sugar. Due to the big flavor difference, they cannot be substituted for each other.

The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.

Even though these are both shelf-stable, concentrated forms of milk and have some similarities, evaporated and condensed milk cannot be used interchangeably.

Evaporated milk is shelf-stable cow's milk with 60% of its water content removed. Sweetened condensed milk, on the other hand, has been modified in a process similar to evaporated milk, with the addition of sugar. In both cases, stabilizers and preservatives are added to enhance the products' shelf life.

While we don't recommend substituting condensed milk for evaporated milk or vice versa, you can make your own condensed milk when you're in a pinch. Simply heat together 1½ cups of sugar and one can of evaporated milk until the sugar has fully dissolved.

You can also use half-and-half, whipping cream, coconut milk, coconut cream, or powdered milk mixed to double strength. If you need it to be rich and are using powdered milk, add a couple tablespoons of butter. Cream of coconut is a pretty good substitute; use the same amount.

Does evaporated milk go bad? ›

And while milk might only last a week in the refrigerator, unopened evaporated milk that is properly stored can last up to two years. But how can you tell when it's gone bad? In short, by looking at it. If your milk has turned dark yellow or brown, don't use it.

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.

– There are a number of reasons why the fudge was grainy. It might be that you haven't dissolved all the sugar before boiling the fudge mixture. It could be that there just wasn't enough fluid or fat to enable the sugar to dissolve or it might even be that the fudge wasn't beaten long enough or hard enough.

OPTION 4) If you think the reason it didn't set was because you didn't heat it to the right temperature, you could try putting it back into the pan and re-cooking. How to make sure you get it right next time: – Follow the recipe exactly.

Sweetened condensed milk is high in calories and unsuitable for people with cow's milk protein allergy or lactose intolerance. Its sweet flavor may be off-putting for some and doesn't typically serve as a good substitute for regular milk in recipes.