Sweet Condensed Coconut Milk (Printer-friendly)
Rich, sweet dairy-free condensed milk from coconut—ideal for vegan desserts, coffee, and baking in under 45 minutes.
# What you'll need:
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01 - 1 can (13.5 fl oz) full-fat coconut milk
02 - ½ cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 pinch of salt
04 - ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
# Method:
01 - Pour the coconut milk and granulated sugar into a medium saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and stir to combine.
02 - Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently until the sugar has completely dissolved.
03 - Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer without boiling. Continue cooking for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has reduced by approximately half and noticeably thickened.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract if using. Allow the condensed coconut milk to cool completely at room temperature; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
05 - Transfer the cooled condensed coconut milk to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Three ingredients and a saucepan are all you need to replace an entire aisle of specialty grocery products.
- It transforms ordinary coconut milk into something velvety and spoonable that rivals any canned condensed milk you grew up with.
02 -
- Walking away from the stove during the reduction phase is the fastest path to burnt coconut milk and a saucepan you will scrub at in frustration.
- The mixture will look deceptively thin while hot and you will doubt it is working, but trust the process because cooling transforms it completely.
03 -
- If you want a pourable drizzle consistency, pull it off the heat a few minutes early because it tightens up enormously once chilled.
- Coconut sugar turns this into something that tastes remarkably like dulce de leche and is absolutely worth trying at least once.