Buzz
Canned milk is a tricky area. Even if you're aware of the difference between sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk, it’s surprisingly easy to pick the wrong one. Don’t get me wrong, I love both. Sweetened condensed milk is perfect for making caramel sauce (whether in your slow cooker or Instant Pot), an easy batch of fudge, a simple soft serve, and many other tasty treats, while evaporated milk shines in cheesy recipes like nacho cheese sauce or stovetop macaroni.
Both can be used to make pumpkin pie, but that’s where the similarities end. To avoid unnecessary trips to the store due to a milk mix-up, take Daniel Lavery’s advice and just buy both:
Whenever a recipe calls for a can of condensed milk, grab a can of evaporated milk too (and vice versa), so you’ve got both covered no matter what you're making. They’re always placed right next to each other in the store, so it’s no hassle. Both last indefinitely, and once you open the can, the difference is obvious (the condensed version has the consistency of wallpaper paste, while the evaporated version is more like light cream). The only issue is the risk of picking the wrong one, but I’ve solved that problem for you at no extra cost. No more stressing in the parking lot when you realize you’ve grabbed evaporated when you needed condensed (or the other way around); just chuckle and set it aside for cheese sauce (
if evaporated
) or dessert topping (
if condensed
).
Much like always having lemons on hand, this brilliant piece of advice—which is a staple of Lavery’s newsletter, The Chatner—is ideal for those forgetful folks who have more important things to do than check labels. These cans of dairy are so inexpensive, there's no reason not to grab one of each every time you shop. (And while you're at it, you may as well pick up some canned potatoes, another Lavery favorite that cooks perfectly in the air fryer.)
