Evaporated Milk

• Evaporated milk is produced by heating fresh milk until 60 percent of the water has evaporated. No seasonings are added, although A, C and D vitamins may be. Since evaporated milk is customarily reconstituted cup-for-cup with water, returning 50 percent of the original liquid, calorie contents are higher than for fresh counterparts. Reconstituted evaporated whole milk contains 170 calories per cup, compared to 150 for fresh milk. Fat contents are nearly identical. Reconstituted evaporated skim has 100 calories per cup, while fresh skim milk has 86. Undiluted evaporated milk is a lower-calorie alternative to fresh cream, 339 calories as opposed to 469 for light cream. Particularly noticeable is the difference in total fat calories: 19 for evaporated milk, 28 for half-and-half and 46 for light cream. Some brands of evaporated milk may offer whole, low-fat and skim versions.

Evaporated vs. Condensed Milk

• Condensed milk is sweet enough that it can be further cooked down to produce a Mexican dessert or candy, dulce de leche, which translates as "sweet from milk." In other dessert recipes, condensed milk replaces all or most of the sugar. Of 306 grams in 1 cup, there are 166 grams of sugar in condensed milk, while sugars in evaporated milk total only 25 grams. A cup of undiluted condensed milk is calorically three times as rich as evaporated, with a total of 982 calories. Cooks with sodium concerns should also be aware that condensed milk contains 389 grams, compared to 267 in evaporated milk. Cooks seeking to substitute evaporated milk for condensed are advised to add 1 1/4 cup of sugar to each cup of milk.

Cooking with Evaporated Milk

• As manufacturer Carnation notes, the evaporation process concentrates natural milk sugars, giving the final product a slightly caramelized taste. This may be noticeable when milk is reconstituted for drinking. In cooking, however, especially with unsweetened foods, the caramelized quality tends to lend a buttery taste. Because it is already cooked, evaporated milk is much less likely to curdle, even with prolonged cooking, than fresh milk. Shelf-stable for months, evaporated milk can be added to salty or spicy dishes as well as sweet ones.

Making Cream of Potato Soup with Evaporated Milk

• If your potato soup recipe calls for milk, dilute the evaporated milk cup-for-cup with water. Add the reconstituted milk at the time your recipe specifies. For a creamier quality, you may want to experiment a bit. Usually adding half a cup of water to a whole cup of evaporated milk will create the heavier, slightly sweeter taste that usually distinguishes fresh cream from milk. Since sometimes cream's taste is also a bit saltier than that of milk, correct the seasonings just before you serve your soup. Trying to get the balance exactly right before a dish has finished cooking often results in over-salting. Some cooks add a fresh taste by stirring in a cup of fresh milk just before serving or increasing the richness with a pat of butter.

Storing Leftovers

• Evaporated milk is highly stable when frozen in a cooked dish, so refrigerate or freeze leftovers just as you would if you had used fresh milk.