Getting Back to Basics of Baking

Milk is commonly referred to cow's milk. It is the liquid produce by the mammary glands of a female mammals. although cow's milk is more popular there are other that can be consumed as well such as sheep, goat, mare, donkey and buffalo.

Consuming milk can be a problem to some people who are lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerant is the inability to digest lactose (sugar contained in a mammal's milk). This is caused by a deficiency in lactase, an enzyme that turns lactose into a substance that can be absorb by our intestines. Symptoms associated with lactose intolerance are abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, gas, nausea and cramps.

TYPES OF MILK

• Whole Milk - normally contains 3.25% milk fat and 8.25% milk solids. Approximately 50% of its calorie are fat. Best for infants and young children.
• Homogenized Milk - this contains fat that is forced under pressure to pass a very small openings that breaks up the fat globules into a very fine particles and remain suspended in the liquid so it doesn't clump together on the surface of the milk.
• Pasteurized Milk - milk is heated below its boiling point to kill 99.4% of disease causing bacteria, thus extending its storage life. It is then cooled quickly. The process of pasteurization results in a small loss of water-soluble vitamins.
• Micro filtered Milk - or also known as "ultra pasteurized milk". It is filtered before a minimal amount of pasteurization that kills the bacteria 99.9%. This prolongs the life of the milk without loosing its nutritional value.
• Raw Milk - this is untreated and illegal for sale in most states, Canada and some of European countries. The consumption of this may lead to tuberculosis or salmonella.
• Low and Reduced Fat Milk - this contains 1 - 2% fat. It has almost the same nutritional value as whole milk  but with lower fat content, which lowers the calories. It is not as rich as whole milk.
• Skim Milk - this contains 0.3% fat and has half the calorie of a whole milk.
• UHT Milk (ultra-high temperature) - this undergo a process of pasteurization at a very high temperature. Only vitamin C is reduced and packed in a sterile sealed container. This can be stored for up to 3 months in its container at room temperature. It should be consumed within 24-36 hours once opened.
• Evaporated Milk - is either whole, reduced or skim milk from which 60% of the water has been vacuum evaporated. It contains at least 7.5% milk fat and no less than 25.5 milk solids. It is nutritious and high in energy. The color is slightly darker and has a caramelized flavor. This doesn't curdle much when cooked which makes it perfect as a thickening agent for sauces or puddings. Whole, very cold evaporated milk can be whipped but only just before serving or it will quickly collapse. When use in a recipe slightly reduce the suggested amount of sugar in the recipe.
• Condensed Milk - is a whole evaporated milk with added sugar and 60% of water content removed. It contains 40-45% sugar and has no less than 8% fat and 28% milk solids.With the exception of Vitamin C and Iron, all nutrients are concentrated. This is particularly high in calories and rich in fat. It is used to make desserts, sweets and cake fillings. Reduce the amount of sugar suggested in a recipe in order to reduce the energy content of food. To thicken and caramelize condense milk, boil it in its sealed can for 2 -3 hours in a deep pot and covered with 1 inch water. Open when it has cooled.