7 Easy Ways To Make Whole Milk At Home
Who doesn’t love milk?
I tend always to have skimmed milk in the refrigerator and only buy other kinds of milk for recipes that need it. On the other hand, for a quick fix and to save me a trip to the store, I do substitution and have gotten quite good at it, if I do say so myself.
All I need to remember is that whole milk has eight fat grams per cup. Skim milk has zero fat. Two percent milk has five fat grams per cup, and One Percent Milk has half of that. Whipped cream has 88 fat grams per cup.
There are multiple ways to make whole milk at home. Most of them require adding melted butter in various amounts. The amounts vary from two teaspoons of melter butter for skim milk to one teaspoon for 2% milk to make 1 cup of whole milk.
Whole Milk from Skim Milk
Adding water to skim milk is going to result in diluted skim milk rather than whole milk. Instead, adding fat to skim milk such as butter will result in a whole milk substitute that works in most recipes.
More specifically, you can use skim milk to substitute for 1 cup whole milk by adding two teaspoons melted butter into skim milk or adding 1 cup water plus a third of a cup of dry evaporated nonfat powdered milk.
You can also substitute whole milk using half a cup of water plus a half cup of evaporated milk if this is what you have in your cupboard.
Whole Milk From 2 Percent Milk And Butter
To turn two percent milk into whole milk, add one part half-and-half to two parts two percent milk and a teaspoon of butter. This combination results in having the correct consistency and fat content when the recipe calls for whole milk.
Some might argue that it is not possible to transform two-percent milk into whole milk. However, if you are using it within a recipe, you can add butter and one part half-and-half, and it should work out just fine.
Whole Milk from Heavy Cream
To make whole milk out of heavy cream and butter, combine half a cup of water and half a cup of heavy cream. Blend these two ingredients together, and when combined, this makes a great substitute for whole milk.
Keep in mind that compared to whole milk, there is higher milk fat in heavy cream. The velvety, rich mouthfeel you get is because of its thick consistency. Some heavy soup and scone recipes require heavy cream. Recipes that you want to add better flavor and texture to will benefit from heavy cream.
Use confectioner’s sugar to whip into heavy cream for great ice cream toppings. When you have heavy cream but require milk, dilute your cream with water, and you should be good to go. This works whenever the recipe calls for whole milk.
Whole Milk from Heavy Cream And 1 Percent Milk
To make whole milk from heavy cream and one percent milk, all you have to do is combine one-and-a-half tablespoon heavy cream and use one percent milk to make one cup of whole milk. You can use this substitution when you need whole milk for cooking, baking, or pouring over cereal or cornflakes.
When all you have is one percent milk and heavy cream, but your recipe needs whole milk, you can use this substitution and still come up with a great recipe even if you don’t have whole milk on hand.
Whole Milk from Semi-Skimmed Milk
To make whole milk from semi-skimmed milk, use six ounces of semi-skimmed milk plus 2 ounces half-and-half for one cup milk. This gives you the perfect substitution for whole milk that you can use for the recipes and dishes that call for whole milk.
Semi-skimmed milk is made by skimming off some of the milk’s cream, lowering the overall content of fat. There are fewer calories in semi-skimmed milk than in regular milk.
This milk is quite popular in the UK as it gives you fewer calories than regular milk but still some of the fat. In other words, it makes a great compromise for health buffs who still want a bit of fat in their diets.
A Word On Evaporated Milk
This milk product has a longer shelf life than regular milk. It is not to be confused with condensed sweetened milk. This product is canned and is made by removing some of the water from whole milk. You get a fuller flavor and deeper color from evaporated milk.
Because of that, it can replace heavy cream in recipes such as baked goods, soups, and sauces. Add water to evaporated milk to use as a substitute for whole need when you need it.
When All You Have Is Powdered Milk
Used for sauce, savory soup, or dessert recipes, powdered milk is sometimes added to milkshake recipes and smoothies. It is even added to hot cocoa and coffee to increase creaminess. When baking, you can use powdered milk instead of regular milk.
Check your recipe to find out how much milk you need and reconstitute the powdered milk to substitute for whole milk. Just like real milk, powdered milk comes in varying levels of milkfat. Check the fat content of your powdered milk pack.
Dry milk, also known as powdered milk, is the dry solid remainder that comes from dehydrated cow’s milk. The greatest advantage of having powdered milk is that it has the most longevity in terms of shelf-life.
When it comes to milk, the content of fat is determined by the total liquid percent by weight:
FAT CONTENT | TYPE OF MILK |
---|---|
Less than .5 % fat | Skim Milk |
Approximated 1 % milk fat | Low-fat Milk |
About 3.25 % milk fat | Whole Milk |
Adding water to whole milk not only saves you money but also saves calories, as well. For example, adding two cups of water to two cups of whole milk will dilute the fat by half.
This is a great way to extend your grocery bill. If you find that the milk tastes too watered down, then you can buy 2% milk in the store and add water in gradually to find which ratio still tastes fine to the family.
Doing this will cut your fat intake in half, and in the process, you get a great bang for your buck.
When you get a great deal on milk at the grocery, you can freeze the gallons and thaw them out in the fridge as you need them. Then, add water to each gallon that you thaw.
The Health Benefits Of Milk
Believe it or not, milk contains lactium protein, which battles stress. Lactium lowers levels of cortisol, lowers blood pressure, and has a calming effect on the body. This is a quick and easy way to get some much-needed stress relief at the end of every day.
Keep stress levels in check and sleep soundly every night by drinking a glass of milk before you sleep. Using milk in your recipes will also result in less general anxiety. An amino acid called tryptophan that is contained in milk converts into the serotonin neurotransmitter.
Serotonin at elevated levels keeps you calm and improves your mood. Plus, magnesium and calcium help in lowering blood pressure. The temperature of a warm glass of milk can also calm the mind, as warm temperatures tend to be soothing.
Thus, when you add milk into your daily routine, you do reap the benefits of health that a calm mind induces. This is just one reason for including milk into your roster of beverages each day.
Non-Dairy Alternatives to Whole Milk
Most folks prefer to add regular cow’s milk to their recipes, but more and more non-dairy alternatives are popping up on social media, particularly for people allergic to dairy products. Folks that are allergic or simply prefer not to use cow’s milk have more alternatives than ever.
Contrary to popular belief, not all kinds of milk come from cows. This fact is more true today than ever when more homes do have the appliances needed to convert nuts to milk, for example.
There are other types of milk that come from plants, particularly nuts, which you can use to replace cow’s milk if you choose. These non-dairy substitutes are healthy, and no one will even realize your recipe contains non-dairy milk.
Coconut milk provides the same texture as regular whole milk and has a high content of fat. Most folks love using coconut milk in their morning cup of joe because of the creaminess and fragrance.
Soy milk works well for folks that cannot tolerate dairy products. Even with its peculiar flavor, soy milk does come in both unsweetened and sweetened versions for you to try.
Another popular non-dairy alternative for milk is almond milk because it tastes good, is affordable, and is very easy to make. This non-dairy alternative does not have a stronger smell than other kinds of nut milk tend to have and works perfectly in any recipe as a whole mil substitute.
In A Pinch
Believe it or not, when push comes to shove, you can get away with substituting water instead of milk. Particularly when your recipe only calls for less than or up to a cup of mil. You can add in a spoon of butter to make up for the lack of richness.
For every added cup of H20, add in a spoon of butter, and you will be amazed how great the results will be for your recipe. This is a handy tip that lets you bake away in peace without having to leave the comfort of your home.
The Final Result
When it comes to the final result of your baking recipes, there are many important contributions that come from milk. Milk plays a role not just in your baked goods’ final texture but also in the recipe’s moisture. In milk, the fat content adds a lot of texture.
When using milk substitutes, you can pull off a great tasting final product, whether you are making muffins or cake, cooking breakfast pancakes, or loaves of banana bread.
When you use higher fat milk, your final recipe comes out richer, which works great for muffins. This gives you a great final result every time.