Yes, I know it sounds weird, but how to get around things that need evaporation as part of the reduction (as condensed milk is) in a flexible open bag rig that keeps the evaporation going, but allows the flow of water to assist in a non skin forming bag pummelling;
Am I forced to jerry rig a couple of metal coat hangers (a rarity in itself these days) to circle a pot (bulldog clamps or similar for experimental purposes) with the ability to hang an open 2 litre bag (lets say, in order to produce a decent amount of condensed milk in one hit) to agitate enough via the s/v circulation to not create skin.
Possible or not enough power of fluid upon fluid?
What do you think?
Consider that condensed milk made on the stove is likely several hours of stirring, thus i’m keen to avoid that element & look at other reduction possibilities via sous vide & tweaked / bodgineered kit.
For the layman, condensed milk is “simmered” milk that thickens (82.2c -87c odd) / 180-190F
Therefore i’m thinking that a food safe silicone bag with a decent bag mouth opener, such as a mutilated sieve could be employed here to save wire bending for a jerry rig, with plenty of moisture escape room therefore thin materials that do not cause moisture to stream back into the bag…
However, there is a distinct difference between the two as both finished & ingredient product, evaporated milk is sans sugar (without) thus the choice of words used.
Evaporated milk lacking the thick almost tate & lyle golden syrup like viscosity of the condensed, sugar mixed product that delineate the two so distinctly, yet both rely upon the evaporation process to achieve the finished product.
Whilst they may not be synonymous to you douglas, to the average reader they shadow each other closely, thus the inclusion
Condensed milk is Caramelised via the inclusion of added sugar, not made into caramel via evaporative reduction.
Evaporated milk is not sweetened & reduced milk, merely reduced via evaporation yet the two are often mixed up, thus the “explanatory straightener” for anyone down the line (seeing as anova sells to everyone without need for an IQ / pedant check, & the easiest learning is via understandable contextual explanation, I try to include this in the same manner that when renovating a home I laminate & stick details of the project in both a file & the area where work is done for those bringing up the rear, say a bathroom swap out in 20-40 years will likely avoid problems for those with non x-ray vision as to what’s behind that stone & how do I access it.
It is safer not to assume but to give clarity wherever possible, which as someone with copious head injuries & thus neurological ends in disarray from an early age aids understanding by setting out the table with the appropriate cutlery / tools.
In this instance a wide mouth bag that allows evaporation without droplet return is required (as is non skin forming liquid agitation, hopefully provided by an impeller)
Did you want evaporated or condensed milk? If evaporated, why not just buy a package of milk powder and mix it thusly: 1 cup powder, 1.5 cups water. What you’re proposing seems like it would take awhile.
The stovetop method takes a lot of time to produce in any great volume.
Ergo, if it is possible to do via sous vide & walk away, i’d consider that a worthwhile option when trying to produce a litre or two at a time.
I’m no further as to learning whether there is enough agitation via water flow, & have yet to go to a nearby town to find something to mutilate & initially put to test /task
Ultimately I don’t wish to stand stirring over a stove for hours on end, if it works via sous vide it would be a handy baking & coffee tool to utilise.
Over here a small tin is £1 at cheapest price, £2.25 at worst for a 495g can.
Wife would bake a lot more with it if we had more of it.
I do use evap milk for macaroni & cheese, but not enough to really consider making it compared to condensed variety.
If there is not enough agitation I would consider adding more via a second anova to see if that made a difference before looking at other means to take up the slack.
Essentially all we need is a wide mouth for evaporation to take place within the sugared mixture, a rare case of me using a sous vide without a heat retaining lid, but I figure the bag needs extra pummelling for the milk to condense to replicate the constant stirring action.
I’m also looking to supply my daughter at university with a few bottles / jars of reductions, such as balsamic glaze (a quick one) pancake syrup, daughter goes through a litre of pure maple syrup every 6 months. a decent supply of bee-keepers heavy syrup (additional feed) …& batch making summer infused drinks (getting a headstart on a well infused pimms that keeps the flavour past the time the fruit & veg has gone past it, …in that instance i’m fine with muddling my own but a decent pimms needs time, opportunity to open bag agitate & strain the results for testing / short term storage
To satisfy myself as to the problem necessitating a solution I opened a can of (needed using up) evaporated milk courtesy Lidl, stuck the contents into a bag which I submerged bar the top to assist evaporation at a tad over 80c.
I used a bulldog clip to hold it partially open (not enough)
Added some wooden costco spoons (due for kindling) to open it some more…
Left it for several hours.
Result, nowhere near enough opening for evaporation to take place, minimal (if any) change.
Stuck it on the badly performing ikea induction hob on level one / two & stirred …just what I didn’t want to do.
Suffice to say it didn’t condense it caramelised at no point was it condensed milk (I tested regularly)
Next up is the first bodgineered bag opener to max out evaporation, allow a gentle movement & hopefully the correct texture of product, we shall see!