What is a Good Substitute for Evaporated Milk?
Substitute For Evaporated Milk
Substitute For Evaporated Milk: Anyone who did any cooking before the 1990’s rolled around will probably remember evaporated milk well. It was an ingredient found in many recipies, and was well stocked in kitchens everywhere. This was partly a result of the economic crisis and gas shortage of the 70’s – with resources in tight supply, condensing milk by evaporating some of the water content was a good way to make milk stretch a little bit further. It was also a mark of where food preservation and transportation technology was – evaporating and canning milk was the best way to make it last longer and transport it further.
We’ve all been there—you’re about to bake layer bars or pumpkin pie and read the recipe to find that it calls for evaporated milk. You head to the pantry to find you’re completely out. Rather than giving up on your recipe altogether or making a run for the grocery store, try one of these simple substitutes for evaporated milk.
DIY Evaporated Milk
Make your own evaporated milk by heating 2¼ cups of regular milk and gently boiling it down until it reduces to 1 cup. Evaporated milk is most commonly made with 2% milk but whole milk, 1%, or skim will also work. This is the exact method used to make evaporated milk for commercial retail, so there’s no reason why you can’t do it in your own kitchen.
You can also follow this same process using dairy-free milks like soy, almond, or oat milk for an dairy-free alternative.
Half-and-Half
If you’re under a super tight deadline, you may substitute the same amount of half-and-half for evaporated milk (i.e. 1 cup of half-and-half=1 cup of evaporated milk). While you won’t get the same slightly caramelized flavor that evaporated milk has, the creamy consistency of half-and-half mimics that of evaporated milk.
What Can I Substitute For Evaporated Milk
Make your own DIY evaporated milk by simply adding some whole milk to a saucepan and boil it till reduces to a half. Evaporated milk substitutes also include half and half, regular milk, almond milk, and soy milk, among others.
Substitute For Evaporated Milk In Pumpkin Pie
No one can argue that this beloved pumpkin dessert is an absolute must at any Halloween or Thanksgiving festivity. Here’s what to do if your last-minute decision to make this holiday pie recipe is perceivably ruined because you’re short on evaporated milk.
You can substitute 1 ½ cups of cream or half and half (or a combination of the two) for the evaporated milk. You can also use milk (any kind from whole to skim); when doing so, add 1 tablespoon cornstarch in with the sugar and spices to help the pie set up.
Heavy Cream Substitute Evaporated Milk
Substituting with cream adds richness to a dish. Cream can be used as a replacement for evaporated milk in sauces, soups, pie fillings, baking, casseroles, frozen desserts and custards at a 1:1 ratio.
As cream is much higher in fat than evaporated milk, it is both thicker and contains more calories. One cup of cream (240 ml) contains 821 calories, 7 grams of carbs, 88 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein (14).
Due to the high calorie content, cream is a good alternative for people trying to increase their calorie intake. However, it may not be the best option for people trying to lose weight.
Almond Milk Substitute Evaporated Milk
One of the most popular alternatives for evaporated milk, particularly for vegetarians and people who avoid animal-derived milk. You can reduce 2 cups of almond milk down to 1 cup of evaporated almond milk; however, almond milk is sweeter, by definition, than normal evaporated milk.