Too Much Milk

vvvanessa added 9 months ago

I love making dulce de leche. This is roughly the recipe and method I use, though I add in 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and don't necessarily put in the vanilla:
http://chezpim.com/bake...

The finished product freezes well; just be sure to gently press a layer of plastic wrap onto the surface of the dulce de leche before covering and freezing it.

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savorthis added 9 months ago

Ooh- I love dulche de leche. Great idea!

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Hi vvvanessa - I'm just curious - what is the purpose of adding baking soda to your recipe? thanks

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vvvanessa added 9 months ago

jenniebgood, I use the baking soda because that's the way I first learned to make dulce de leche, but now that you ask the question, I wonder, too! So here's what a recipe generated by the google says. I think the question could use a little more research, but this is an interesting start: 1 tsp baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) -- this is needed for a complete browning-- it lowers the pH and prevents milk proteins from coagulating (bunching up). The browning is not caramelization -- it is a Maillard reaction which requires the addition of a base. If you do not add baking soda the sauce will still thicken and taste wonderful, but the full potential of the sauce will be lost.

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mensaque added 9 months ago

My mom always says the baking soda is for a darker color,and the more you add the darker it will get.She is the specialist on "doce de leite" as we call it in portuguese.I think it is a great idea,and if you add melted chocolate when it's done...oh,God in heavens!Or you can do what we do in Brazil and add grated coconut or chopped nuts(my favorite) while you cook it,and plum jam or guava jam after it's done not stirring to much,so you and up with a marbled effect.

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mensaque added 9 months ago

"End up...so you END up with a marbled effect" says the distracted brazillian girl!Oh,one more thing:try it on some white fresh cheese.We call it "queijo de minas" and if you have a brazilian neighborhood in your city you may be able to find it.If not,the closest thing would be ricotta cheese or fresh goat cheese.

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savorthis added 9 months ago

Wow- that sounds amazing. The coconut and chocolate especially.....

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vvvanessa added 9 months ago

mensaque, I had no idea you could do all those amazing things with dulce de leche! This changes everything! Also, I need to go to Brazil as soon as possible.

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mensaque added 9 months ago

Glad you liked it,savorthis! "Bem vinda",vvvanessa!

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ChefOno added 9 months ago

Pudding

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Unfortunately everything I can come up with right now sounds not all that appealing during a major heat wave, but for what it's worth:

Pork tenderloin braised in milk is delicious and uses quite a bit of milk. Another one I like is this recipe for skillet chicken pot pie. It's super-easy, very tasty and comforting, AND uses 2 cups of whole milk:
http://www.foodandwine...

Maybe you can keep those in your back pocket for cooler weather. I'm sure others on the forum can come up with some warm-weather friendly options!

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savorthis added 9 months ago

I forgot about pork braised in milk! I have given up on not cooking in this weather so I might just try that. Thanks for the reminder.

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Sadassa_Ulna added 9 months ago

Gelato or sherbet, vichyssoise?

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Yum...pot pies! Baked oatmeal, which is good served hot or room temp and keeps nicely for a couple days in the fridge. One of the summer corn chowders posted on this site. (The spicy corn and scallop chowder is fabulous.) Iced coffee or chai. Mix with heavy cream for quiche (I have cream and milk in my fridge more often than half and half -- it works well.)

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SeaJambon added 9 months ago

If it is whole milk, buy some cream and make ice cream...

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I would make kheer -- Indian rice pudding. It's quite delicious and uses up a ton of milk! Here's a recipe (though I leave my rice whole and include somewhat more of it than this author does):

http://food52.com/recipes...

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I would freeze excess milk so I'd not have to buy it later.

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petitbleu added 9 months ago

Try your hand at mozzarella or even feta (feta is actually super easy and keeps indefinitely in brine): http://www.thejoykitchen...

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HalfPint added 9 months ago

How about Sweet Milk Liqueur? http://www.thekitchn.com...

I've made this and it's surprising smooth and not as sweet as it looks, probably from the citrus fruit used.

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Freeze the extra

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Sarah is a trusted source on General Cooking.

added 9 months ago

Infuse some with nutmeg & bay leave - for béchamel and its many derivatives, or polenta (the latter would be great with grilled summer veg & a poached egg!)

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Sarah is a trusted source on General Cooking.

added 9 months ago

Er, make that bay "leaf". Sheesh.

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VVVanessa - thanks for your response below - it's very helpful. As I read it I remembered that Nathan Myrvold and the Modernist Cusine folks posted a recipe for a caramelized carrot soup on their recipe and they go into some detail about the Maillard reaction as well. Their recipe calls for baking soda also. I'm glad you explained this! http://modernistcuisine...

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Oops - meant to write they posted a recipe for caramelized carrot soup on their website (not recipe).

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