Condensed milk boiling in can: What Happens When You Boil Condensed Milk?
When a can of sweetened condensed milk is boiled, it produces dulce de leche or caramelized milk. Slowly adding heat to condensed milk breaks down its sugars, causing it to caramelize and thicken. When the condensed milk turns brown, the caramel is ready.
This is what happens:
According to Baking Nook, sweetened condensed milk contains approximately 45% added sugar. When slowly heated in boiling water, the heat begins to slowly but ineffectively break down the sugars.
When condensed milk is boiled, it caramelizes into brown!
The milk will begin to caramelize and thicken after a few hours. The high sugar content keeps it from overheating or scorching. Dulce de leche is sweetened condensed milk that has been boiled for a long time until it thickens, darkens, and becomes a spreadable caramel.
Some people even refer to it as milk jam!
It can also be eaten raw, without being boiled. However, if you must boil it, take the necessary precautions to avoid the can exploding.
What Happens When You Boil Condensed Milk?
Because sweetened condensed milk contains approximately 45% sugar, slowly adding heat caramelizes and thickens the condensed milk, transforming it into a thick spreadable paste. Boiling also thins the milk, increases its sweetness, and turns it brown in color.
The end result is dulce de leche, or condensed milk jam, a delicious treat that can be eaten on toast, pancakes, or waffles. It can also be found in a variety of recipes.
You might also be interested in learning How To Make Caramel with Condensed Milk. I recently published an article about it, which you can read here!
Is it safe to Let Condensed Milk Boiling in Can?
If done correctly, boiling a can of condensed milk is generally safe. However, because heat causes expansion, a closed can of condensed milk can explode after being boiled for an extended period of time. This could be avoided by completely submerging the can in water while it is boiling.
Personally, I boiled many cans of condensed milk without incident every time I wanted to make myself some delicious caramel.
WARNING!
*By the way, the Double Boiler is fantastic for melting something like chocolate while heating other ingredients.
To keep my condensed milk cans from exploding, I boil them in my double boiler to keep direct heat away from the cans. I have no trouble placing the cans on the top pot of water.
Can Boiling A Can Of Condensed Milk Cause It To Explode?
Boiling a can of condensed milk, in general, has a very low risk of exploding. Accroding to Pies and Tacos, condensed milk (a high-fat, low-moisture substance) has a higher boiling point than water and will never reach 100 degree Celcius when boiled in a can. So, even if you immerse a can of condensed milk in boiling water, it is unlikely to explode.
As you may already know, heat causes things to expand. Boiling a can of condensed milk for an extended period of time may cause the can to explode.
Before boiling, add a can of condensed milk!
If you’re going to boil a can of condensed milk, do it slowly and for a short period of time. This will help to reduce the likelihood of an explosion.
On the other hand, if the milk contains moisture, the can may explode when placed in boiling water. As you know, heat causes moisture to expand, and thus the can to explode.
How Long Should I Boil Condensed Milk?
On average, it takes about 3 hours to boil a can of condensed milk on low heat. However, a few factors must be considered when determining how long to boil the can: the size of the can, the size of the pot, and the temperature of the water.
To properly boil a can of condensed milk, fill a large saucepan halfway with water and slowly bring it to a boil. Then, pour in a can of condensed milk. Continue to heat at a low temperature for about three hours.
Boiled Sweetened Condensed Milk in a can!
You should check the can on a regular basis to ensure that it is always completely covered with boiling water.
If the water runs out, refill it. The can should not explode if you do this correctly. Covering the saucepan while boiling the condensed milk could result in an explosion.
Is it possible to boil condensed milk in a ring pull can?
In most cases, you can boil condensed milk in a ring pull can. Warm the water gradually before immersing the can. Place the ring pull can on its side so that it does not float to the surface of the water. Allow the ring pull can to boil for about an hour before removing it to cool.
However, extreme caution is required because ring pulls are more likely to explode. You should take the following precautions to avoid this from happening:
Fill a pot halfway with water and place it on a stove or fire to slowly heat up before putting your ring pull can in it. Filling the pot too much will cause water to spill out and cause the can to explode.
The condensed milk will begin to boil, so keep an eye on it and add hot water as needed.
Boil for about an hour before removing from the heat source and allowing it to cool for a few minutes. After that, open the can and enjoy your boiled condensed milk.