GETTING

TO KNOW

Milk

Milk is an indispensable ingredient that

fi nds its way into all kinds of sweet and

savory foods. Here’s what you need to

know to start cooking with it. by Scott Kathan

Fat Is Where the Flavor Is

Milk is made up of water, fat, proteins, sugar (lactose), and

minerals. The fat in milk gives it both fl avor and richness. The

percentage of fat in milk varies depending on the cow’s diet

and breed. But supermarket milk has been standardized to the

following fat percentages:

Nondairy Milks

In experimenting with the myriad alternative milks, we’ve

found that specifi c products work better in certain dishes.

We love oat milk in baked goods because its high natural

sugar content translates into good browning—but it can

taste out of place in savory dishes. Soy and almond milks

are both good, relatively neutral options for savory dishes.

Coconut milk can straddle sweet and savory recipes. We

don’t use rice milk in cooking—it’s too watery.

Busting a Milk Myth

Some bread recipes call for scalding

milk (bringing it to the verge of a boil,

about 180 degrees) before adding it

to the dough. The idea is that scalding

breaks down the milk proteins that can

otherwise thicken and hinder the rise

of yeast. To test this, we made loaves of

white sandwich bread with scalded and

unscalded milk (which was heated to

110 degrees to help activate the yeast,

per the recipe). The loaf made with

scalded milk did rise slightly higher, but

the loaf made with warmed milk was

still very good. Since scalding intro-

duces the possibility of killing the yeast

if the baker doesn’t let the hot milk cool

down suffi ciently (temperatures higher

than 120 degrees will kill most yeast),

we don’t recommend scalding.

The cow is of

the bovine ilk;

one end is moo,

the other, milk.

—Ogden Nash

Milk Paste

Meatloaf, meatball, and some ham-

burger recipes call for panades—pastes

of bread crumbs (or crackers) mashed

with milk—to help keep the meat moist.

This works because, when cooked, the

starch in the bread absorbs water from

the meat and forms a gel that holds on

to moisture. Milk is our preferred liquid

for panades because it adds richness

and most cooks have it on hand, but

our tests have shown that you can use

broth, tomato juice, water, or other

liquids in place of or in addition to milk.

What’s in the Can?

Both sweetened condensed milk

and evaporated milk consist of

milk from which 60 percent of the

water has been removed. The only

diff erence between the two is that

sweetened condensed milk contains

added sugar. Evaporated milk can

be substituted for regular milk in

recipes by adding an equal amount

of water (1 cup of evaporated milk

plus 1 cup of water equals 2 cups of

whole milk).

HIDING

IN PLAIN

SIGHT

MEATBALLS

Milk-based panades

help keep meatballs

moist and tender.

BREAD

Breads made with

milk have a gentle

sweetness.

SCRAMBLED EGGS

Here, milk adds

richness and fat to help

keep the curds tender.

BISCUITS

It doesn’t have to be

buttermilk—regular

milk works fi ne, too.

MAC AND CHEESE

Milk makes white sauces

that are fl avorful but

not too rich.

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