Questions and Answers - Evaporated Milk vs. Sweetened Condensed Milk

Could you tell me the difference between condensed milk and sweetened condensed milk? Alta Dena has a yogurt that has condensed milk as an ingredient but there is no listing of sugar. Do all condensed milks have sugar added? - Heidi Rouda (10/27/99)

1) The definition of sweetened condensed milk from Food Lover's Companion by Sharon Tyler Herbst:

"A mixture of whole milk and sugar, 40%-45% of which is sugar. This mixture is heated until about 60% of the water evaporates. The resulting condensed mixture is extremely sticky and sweet.

Store unopened sweetened condensed milk at room temperature for up to 6 months. Once opened, transfer the unused milk to an airtight container, refrigerate and use within 5 days. Sweetened condensed milk is used in baked goods and desserts such as candies, puddings, pies, etc."

2) Unsweetened condensed milk is referred to as Evaporated Milk. It is a shelf-stable canned milk product with about 60% of the water removed from fresh milk. In the United States it is not sweetened.

Question:

Can I substitute condensed milk for evaporated milk if I reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe? - Edwina (11/19/05)

Answers:

They are not interchangeable as condensed milk has lots of sugar added to it. Following is a substitution for sweetened condensed milk:

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk - 3/4 cup white sugar mixed with 1/2 cup water and 1 1/8 cups dry powdered milk - Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring frequently until thickened, about 20 minutes.