How is baked milk made?

How do you make baked milk?

Following Tasting Table’s description:

1. Bake or simmer. Heat milk in the oven or on the stove at low heat for 4 to 8 hours. It thickens, and the color and flavor caramelize.
2. Cool. Let the milk cool before adding anything.
3. Add a starter. Stir in a spoonful of sour cream, kefir or buttermilk.
4. Ferment. Leave it for 10 to 12 hours.
5. Chill and serve.

Which milk should I use?

The source does not name a milk type. Use fresh pasteurized milk; the fat level is your choice.

What temperature?

The source does not give an exact oven temperature, so use low heat, as the source says, and watch the pot.

What starter should I use?

Safety and storage

• Use clean jars and utensils.
• The source gives no fermentation temperature; follow a tested recipe for details.
• Refrigerate when done and use within a few days; discard it if it smells rotten or shows mold.
• This is general guidance; vulnerable people should avoid homemade fermented dairy.

Serving

Serve it cold. It is dairy, so it is not for people with milk allergy.

Common mistakes

• Cutting the baking time short, since the long cooking gives the caramelized color and flavor.
• Adding the starter while the milk is hot.

How does it taste when done?

Creamy and tan, with a caramelized, condensed-milk-like flavor that is mild and only subtly sweet. Serve it cold in a glass, or with cookies or pastries.

Do not confuse this with sweetened condensed milk caramel recipes, which are a different dessert.