Should you put evaporated milk in coffee? Here is everything you need to know about it and a delicious evaporated milk coffee recipe.
Evaporated milk is a common ingredient in the kitchen.
But can you put evaporated milk in coffee?
Of course, I had to try that out. And the answer is yes, you can.
In this article, I will tell you what happens when you add evaporated milk to your cup of joe.
Let’s start!
What Is Evaporated Milk?
Evaporated milk is one of those basic ingredients that is often used, but not too many people know what it is exactly.
For example, I love baking cakes and cookies and evaporated milk is a part of the recipes often. But I never really questioned what evaporated milk is actually.
However, once I did and read everything about it, it was pretty self-explanatory.
First, let me tell you what milk is made of. Since milk is liquid, it is obvious that it contains water. Precisely, milk is 87% water.
But the rest 13% of it is:
- protein
- fat
- carbohydrates
- sugars
- vitamins
- minerals
Now we get to the main point:
Evaporated milk is what’s left from milk after you heat it and let a big part of the water content evaporate.
So, it is actually a mixture of all the nutrients from the milk with less water. Of course, some of the water is still there, but about 60% is evaporated.
After it’s dehydrated, milk is sent to sterilization at high temperatures.
NOTE
Because of sterilization, evaporated milk can stay good for up to one year in an unopened can. So, if you have a forgotten can of evaporated milk in your kitchen pantry, it’s probably still good (just check the date on the label).
Sterilization gives some caramelized background notes and makes it look a bit darker than regular milk or coffee creamer.
Its texture is really dense and gooey but creamy and smooth at the same time.
Now you’re tempted to try a few gulps?
Feel free to take a few sips, but don’t get carried away and drink too much. While it doesn’t have any strong, distinctive taste, evaporated milk isn’t exactly tasty on its own.
It has a lot sweeter notes compared to regular milk. Also, it’s kind of dull and flat. But it’s totally fine because it isn’t meant to be drunk plain.
Can You Add Evaporated Milk to Coffee?
After many, many recipes with evaporated milk in them, the question crossed my mind: can I use it for other things besides baking?
Can I, maybe, put it in my… coffee?
The first time I tried out coffee with evaporated milk was on one of my camping trips, where regular milk was not an option.
And the answer is – you bet you can!
We already add a lot of different things to our coffees:
- coffee creamer
- syrup
- heavy cream
- spices
Those are standard options when you want to add a little twist to your coffee.
So, why wouldn’t you add evaporated milk, then?
It will give you the creamy texture of coffee and even add some sweetness to it.
And at the same time, it won’t change the strong coffee taste of your brew as syrups do.
Evaporated vs Condensed Milk In Coffee?
At first, you can easily mistake evaporated milk for condensed milk. Both are made by evaporating about 60% of the water from milk.
But they are not quite the same thing. The difference between these two is the amount of sugar.
Yes, we all love sugar. However, we also know that it’s not too healthy.
Well, I got some good news. You can add evaporated milk guilt-free to your coffee as much as you like.
Why – you may wonder?
Because it doesn’t have any additional sugar besides those that naturally occur in milk!
Unfortunately, this is not the case with condensed milk. It is super sweet because of the added sugar. As a matter of fact, 1 ounce of sweetened condensed milk contains 0.53 ounces of sugar!
Because of this, canned condensed milk can last for even longer than evaporated milk.
BOTTOM LINE
Condensed milk can be a great addition to your coffee. But if you do not have much of a sweet tooth, stick to the evaporated milk.
How To Add Evaporated Milk to Coffee?
There’s not much science in this. You can use evaporated milk in almost any milky coffee, so let your imagination go wild.
But, if you need some inspiration, here’s my take on a good old iced coffee, but with evaporated milk.
Equipment
- Tall glass (8 fl oz)
- The coffee maker of your choice
- Spoon
Ingredients
- Canned evaporated milk
- Coffee of your choice (depending on your preferred brewing method)
- Sugar syrup or any other sweetener (optional)
Step-by-step instruction
- Prepare your coffee with your preferred brewing method (instant coffee will also work) and leave it to chill down
- Add ice cubes and coffee to your serving glass
- Add 3-5 tablespoons of evaporated milk (add one by one, so you can find the right balance)
- Add a sweetener of your choice or even some vanilla extract for additional flavor.
- Stir well, and enjoy your evaporated milk coffee!
Iced Coffee With Evaporated Milk
Equipment
- Tall glass (8 fl oz)
- The coffee maker of your choice
- Spoon
Ingredients
- Canned evaporated milk
- Coffee of your choice
- Sugar syrup or any other sweetener (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare coffee and leave it to chill down
- Add ice cubes and cold brewed coffee to the serving glass
- Add 3-5 tablespoons of evaporated milk
- Add a sweetener of your choice or even some vanilla extract for additional flavor.
- Stir and enjoy!
FAQs About Evaporated Milk in Coffee
If you think we skipped something about evaporated milk, don’t worry. I will go through a few answers to frequently asked questions.
Will evaporated milk curdle in coffee?
Not necessary, but it is possible. All dairy products can curdle if coffee is too hot and milk is too cold, but it won’t happen every time. It also depends on the acidity of coffee.
Can evaporated milk be frothed?
Yes, you can froth evaporated milk. But, it will take a little bit more effort because evaporated milk has less percentage of water compared to regular milk. Just like with regular milk, you’ll get perfect froth much easier if you let the milk and the milk jug cool down.
What is the healthiest milk to put in coffee?
Cows milk is an adequate source of proteins and calcium, plus vitamins and minerals. But, some people have cow-milk-related health issues, like lactose intolerance. Also, there are ethical issues.
But, plant-based milk can be a proper replacement for dairy milk. Almonds, oat, or soy milk, just off the top, are great sources of necessary nutrients. Plus, they taste great!
Conclusion
And that’s it!
If you have an unopened can of evaporated milk, feel free to add it to your brew.
It’s basically dehydrated milk without any sweeteners or added ingredients. It’s rich and creamy, so your coffee will have a nice and rich texture.
And, because it’s concentrated milk, it will add some mild sweetness to your coffee drink.
So, go on and experiment and try to make different coffee beverages with evaporated milk.
Evaporated milk doesn’t have enough flavor and sweetness for you? If you want to elevate its taste, try adding some of the best-flavored coffee syrups.
