How to turn nonfat powdered milk into whole milk
Nonfat powdered milk keeps for years precisely because the fat has been taken out. Putting some back makes it taste like milk again.
- Filed
Plenty of households keep nonfat powdered milk in storage and then find that nobody wants to drink it, least of all the children. The thin, flat taste comes from the missing fat. That same missing fat is why the powder stores so well, since milk fat is what turns rancid.
The fix is to add fat back at the table, in the form of ordinary vegetable oil. The catch is that oil and water do not mix: shake them together and the oil floats back to the top in minutes. What holds them together is an emulsifier. Egg yolk contains lecithin, a true emulsifier and the same one that keeps mayonnaise from separating. Honey works in a weaker way, thickening the liquid so the oil droplets stay suspended longer. Both are long-keeping pantry staples.
How to mix it
Reconstitute the powdered milk first, following the directions on the package. Then add the oil and either honey or egg powder in the amounts below, and blend hard: a shaker jar, a whisk or a blender all work, and even a fork will do with some effort.
The result is not homogenized, so it separates again as it stands. Shake or whisk it before pouring. Keep it in the refrigerator and use it within a few days, as with fresh milk.
In the tables, t is a teaspoon, T a tablespoon and C a cup.
With honey
| Fat level | Reconstituted milk | Honey | Vegetable oil |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 1 cup | 1/4 t | 1/2 t |
| 1% | 1 quart | 1 t | 2 t |
| 1% | 1 gallon | 1 T + 1 t | 2 T + 2 t |
| 2% | 1 cup | 1/2 t | 1 t |
| 2% | 1 quart | 1/2 T + 1/2 t | 1 T + 1 t |
| 2% | 1 gallon | 2 1/2 T | 1/4 C + 1 T |
| Whole | 1 cup | 1 t | 2 t |
| Whole | 1 quart | 1 T + 1 t | 2 T + 2 t |
| Whole | 1 gallon | 5 T | 1/2 C + 2 T |
Honey must not be given to babies under 12 months old because of the risk of infant botulism. For a household with an infant, use the egg version.
With powdered eggs
| Fat level | Reconstituted milk | Egg powder | Vegetable oil |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 1 cup | 1/8 t | 1/2 t |
| 1% | 1 quart | 1/4 t | 2 t |
| 1% | 1 gallon | 1 t | 2 T + 2 t |
| 2% | 1 cup | 1/4 t | 1 t |
| 2% | 1 quart | 1/2 t | 1 T + 1 t |
| 2% | 1 gallon | 2 t | 1/4 C + 1 T |
| Whole | 1 cup | 1/2 t | 2 t |
| Whole | 1 quart | 1 t | 2 T + 2 t |
| Whole | 1 gallon | 1 T + 1 t | 1/2 C + 2 T |
Because this milk is drunk without cooking, use commercially made egg powder, which is pasteurized. Eggs dried at home are not a substitute here and belong only in food that gets cooked.
Which to choose
The two versions taste slightly different. Honey adds a faint sweetness that many people, children especially, prefer. Egg powder is almost undetectable at these amounts and keeps the milk unsweetened for cooking. A mild, neutral oil such as canola gives the cleanest flavor; olive oil is noticeable.
The whole-milk column comes out at roughly the fat content of store-bought whole milk. For a household used to skim, the 1% version is often enough to take the edge off the taste.