Sweetened condensed milk is one of my favorite things in the world. I jokingly refer to it as the “nectar of the gods.” It’s my favorite way to sweeten tea or coffee (both of which I usually drink black, so if I’m going to indulge, I want to INDULGE), I love using it in no-churn ice cream recipes, and many Filipino desserts utilize this delicious canned treat.
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| Sweetened condensed coconut milk |
However, in trying to come up with dairy-free alternatives for the lactose-intolerant (like my protagonist, Lila), I stumbled across people who use canned sweetened condensed coconut milk. Both me and my protagonist are huge fans of coconut milk, but I’ve never seen the condensed version in stores. So I figured I’d try making my own, and just WOW. It may take some time, but it’s super easy and very delicious. I can’t wait to try it out in my favorite recipes!
Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 (13-14oz) can of full-fat coconut milk
- ½ - ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt, optional
Directions:
- Shake the can of coconut milk well to blend the solids and liquids together.
- Open and pour into a medium-sized saucepan, then add the sugar.
- Turn the heat to low and stir the mixture constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
- Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half, roughly 45 minutes, and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Keep an eye on the mixture and stir frequently since it tends to boil over if not watched carefully (guess how I know that).
- Remove from heat and stir in salt, if using.
- Pour into a clean jar and let cool completely. It will thicken more as it cools.
- Enjoy!
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| Cast of Characters: Himalayan pink salt, coconut milk, granulated sugar |
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| Add coconut milk and sugar to a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. |
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| Simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture is reduced by half and can coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in salt, if using. |
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| Pour into a clean jar and let cool completely. Enjoy! |
What are your favorite dairy-free alternatives? Let me know in the comments!
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Death at a beauty pageant turns Tita Rosie’s Kitchen upside down in the latest entry of this witty and humorous cozy mystery series by Mia P. Manansala.
Things are heating up for Lila Macapagal. Not in her love life, which she insists on keeping nonexistent despite the attention of two very eligible bachelors. Or her professional life, since she can’t bring herself to open her new café after the unpleasantness that occurred a few months ago at her aunt’s Filipino restaurant, Tita Rosie’s Kitchen. No, things are heating up quite literally, since summer, her least favorite season, has just started.
To add to her feelings of sticky unease, Lila’s little town of Shady Palms has resurrected the Miss Teen Shady Palms Beauty Pageant, which she won many years ago—a fact that serves as a wedge between Lila and her cousin slash rival, Bernadette. But when the head judge of the pageant is murdered and Bernadette becomes the main suspect, the two must put aside their differences and solve the case—because it looks like one of them might be next.
I'm curious if it would be possible to use a sugar substitute.
ReplyDeleteI've seen recipes that use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar, so it should work.
DeleteThis is a fantastic idea, Mia! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Molly! I'm not quite lactose-intolerant, but I have noticed whole milk not quite agreeing with me lately, so finding substitutes like this make me so happy.
DeleteClever idea.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this could be done in a small crockpot to allow less hands on effort?
I've seen "recipes" for dulce de leche that uses canned milk cooked in the unopened can in a pot of water. You might be able to reduce/thicken the coconut milk that way and then add the sugar at the end.
Just thinking about ways to be able to step away, rather than hovering over the pan for 45 minutes.
I know! Make risotto at the same time and alternate stirring pans! ;o)
I've tried that dulce de leche method and it works really well! You really only have to hover for the first 15 minutes or so since it easily boils over, but once it calms down, I wandered in to give it a stir every 5-10 minutes while reading on my phone. I do prefer more hands-off methods (which is why I love baking) so I might do more research into other methods. Thanks for the idea!
DeleteI was actually thinking about going one step further and actually doing the crock pot dulce de leches method to caramelize the sugar in this. Want to make both now and try them in different things.
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