# Help with Sweetened Condensed Milk



## spolous (Dec 19, 2005)

Please, can someone tell me if Sweetened Condensed Milk can be tan colored or does that mean it is spoiled?  I opened two cans and they are both tan colored and I am making homemade fudge, but don't want to ruin it.

Thank you for any help.
Sandy

I also make eggnog fudge and if you like both, you will love this fudge.
I use a very easy fudge recipe and I can flavor it any kind I would like.  I wanted to make cherry fudge tonight, but not sure of the condensed milk.

Thanks in Advance.


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## Andy M. (Dec 19, 2005)

Yes it can.  That's normal.


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## spolous (Dec 19, 2005)

*To Andy*

Thank you very much.
Sandy


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## velochic (Dec 30, 2005)

In the US, I've only ever seen it that way.    Nobody had died yet from my food.  <touch wood>


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## thumpershere2 (Dec 30, 2005)

Spolous, I would love your recipe for the fudge. Could you post it please.Thanks


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## Shunka (Dec 30, 2005)

Cherry fudge? That sounds good!!!! Please post the recipe!


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## scott123 (Dec 30, 2005)

Condensed milk, due to it's high sugar (preservative) content, doesn't need to be cooked to as high a temp as evaporated milk is. Because of this, it should be whiter, at least in theory. You find a lot of tan cans out there, though.  Most of the time the color comes from overcooking, but it can also be a result of age, I think. It's perfectly fine to eat, though.  In fact, you'll get caramel flavoring that you won't get with the white stuff. In essence, it's halfway to becoming dulce de leche.


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## jkath (Dec 30, 2005)

Yes, Spolous, please post your cherry fudge recipe in the candy section!!!


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## licia (Dec 30, 2005)

Nothing wrong with dulce de leche. I've used the condense milk when it had turned a bit caramel colored when I've made flan and it was wonderful. Some people used to heat the unopened cans of condensed milk to make it caramelize, but it is very dangerous and I would think quite foolhardy to do that.


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## purrfectlydevine (Dec 31, 2005)

I think there is a recipe on the food network web site for making your own sweetened condensed milk.


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## licia (Dec 31, 2005)

I think someone posted a condensed milk recipe on this site. It made quite a lot. I have one that makes a smaller amount. Mine calls for 1 cup powdered milk - 2/3 cup sugar - 1/4 to 1/3 cup boiling water - 3 tablespoons butter or margarine. Blend all in blender and process until smooth and thick. Refrigerate. Makes 1 1/4 cup (same as 14 oz can of condensed milk). Also, if you look in the ethnic part of your grocery store, you can find condensed milk at a much lower price than the name brands. I haven't bought a name brand in years.


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## spolous (Jan 9, 2006)

*Sweetened Condensed Milk*

Thank you licia for the recipe, I think I will use yours.  I will print it out.
Again, thank you very much.
Sandy


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## Robo410 (Jan 9, 2006)

canned products dop  have a shelf life, and if the milk comes out separated or lumpy...it should not be used. But tan and smooth is generally fine.  The other won't kill you, but why ruin a recipe.


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## spolous (Jan 9, 2006)

*Robo 410*

Robo,
Thank you, I needed to have that information.  I haven't worked that much with condensed milk.  As it was my fudge turned out runny and had to throw it away, so threw out the other can of milk.  I think they were too old.  Bought fresh cans and they worked 100% better.  Thank you so much for that information.

Sandy


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## CharlieD (Jan 9, 2006)

Hm, I don’t know about that, have never run across condensed milk that was too old. Even the outdated ones, that are maybe even a year or more pass due date work and taste just fine. And to throw it away is a total waste. It taste soooo good in coffee, or in black tea,mmm


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## Chatwon (Jan 9, 2006)

*Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk*



			
				purrfectlydevine said:
			
		

> I think there is a recipe on the food network web site for making your own sweetened condensed milk.


 
Try these:

Sweetened Condensed Milk Substitute for Diabetics Recipe #143017 
http://www.recipezaar.com/143017

Sweetened Condensed Milk Substitute for Ordinary folks.
http://www.copykat.com/asp/emailrecipe.asp?recipe=320

Here is a wonderful page, all about subtitutes:
http://www.foodsubs.com/Dairyoth.html


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## spolous (Jan 9, 2006)

CharlieD,
One can was really thick and was more sticky than regualar scondenced M.  I used that for some fudge.  It made the fudge really sticky and on the runny side, it did not thicken.  The other can that I threw out had hardened along the sides and was on its way to turning black and it had thickened to hardness until it cracked in the middle.  So threw it out.  I work with food enough to know how to can and dehydrate and somewhat about milks, but haven't used that much sweetened condensed milk in my cooking.  So didn't want to take any chances.  Wheat stores forever.  Most can goods have about a 5 year shelf life.  I teach about food storage and have done so in many areas of the United States, but that canned milk could have been over 20 years old or maybe over 10 years old and didn't want to risk it.  Rice is hard to store, but you can, it is more likely to turn rancid.  I can in #10 cans (super large ones).  Plus I do home canning.  I was raised on a farm and was taught to can foods in the good years against the lean or bad years.  This milk just didn't look right to me.  That's why I asked about it.  Just some trivia: You can can books and games and important papers to prevent destruction.  You can actually can articles of clothing except for big and bulky items like coats or jackets or blankets...although you can do the emergency blankets that you can buy from Wal-Mart.  You can do photoes also.  Great to know in case of flooding or fire.
Sandy


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## spolous (Oct 26, 2008)

*Vegetarian recipes*



spolous said:


> Thank you licia for the recipe, I think I will use yours. I will print it out.
> Again, thank you very much.
> Sandy


 
Does anyone have any terrific recipes for vegetarians?
Thanks, 
Sandy


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