Have you ever been in the mood for something sweet and you decided to make it at home only to discover that you needed sweetened condensed milk and had none in your pantry?  Well there is an alternative that you can make from scratch.  It’s easy, quick, and cost much less than the store bought kind, even the generic.  Most homes probably have all the ingredients in their pantry already.  So why not try making some of your favorite desserts with homemade sweetened condensed milk and save some money.

History of Sweetened Condensed Milk

Gail Borden was very interested in food preservation and after several other inventions discovered sweetened condensed milk.  The condensed milk was used for soldiers during the Civil War who needed the nutrition and did not have refrigeration. It was also used to help many infants thrive when other types of milk would not work.  This came to be known as the Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk. It is used now in lots of homes for homemade desserts and candies

Recipe For Sweetened Condensed Milk

Taste Like Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

½ cup hot water

1 cup Dry Powdered Milk

1 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend all ingredients in blender until well blended. This can be refrigerated or frozen.

Makes 14 oz. can

Recipes Using Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

Homemade sweetened condensed milk can replace the store version in any recipe calling for it.  Here are two of my family’s favorite recipe that use sweetened condensed milk.

 Homemade Twix Bars

Crust:

1 ¼ c. flour

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter; room temp

Caramel:
½ c. butter

½ c. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. corn syrup

½ c. sweetened condensed milk

Crumble crust ingredients together. Pack into 9×9 inch pan that has been sprayed, lined with foil and sprayed again. Bake on 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Combine caramel ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly as it burns easily. Remove from heat. Stir with spoon slowly until it shows signs of thickening. Pour over crust and let cool a little.

Top layer:

Melt approximately 1-2 c. chocolate chips with 1 tsp shortening over low heat or in the microwave. Pour over caramel layer and spread carefully. Chill. Cut into bars.
 

Better Than Anything Cake

1 box Devil’s Food cake mix (and ingredients listed on box)
6oz  Caramel Ice Cream Topping
7oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup English toffee bits, divided
8 oz cool whip
Mix cake mix according to directions on the box and  bake as directed in a 9×13 pan. During the last few minutes of baking, put caramel and condensed milk in a saucepan and stir on medium low heat until mixed. Take cake out of the oven and poke holes over the top (use something wide like a wooden spoon). Pour caramel mixture over cake, filling in holes. Sprinkle toffee bits over the top, saving some for later. Cool completely. Cover with container of Cool Whip and sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Put in fridge until ready to serve.

Makes 24 servings