What are the best substitutes for powdered milk?

A recipe for homemade bread or brioche calls for powdered milk, and there is none in the cupboard. Should the recipe be canceled, or are there good substitutes?

Powdered milk is mainly used in baking and baking to provide proteins and sugars that promote browning and texture of the crumb, without adding too much liquid. Several alternatives make it possible to approach it.

Here are the best options for replacing powdered milk, from the simplest to the closest to the original product.

Replace with liquid milk

The simplest solution is to replace some of the liquid in the recipe (water or milk) withwhole liquid milk. In a bread maker, for example, it is often sufficient to remove the intended milk powder and water, and replace them with the same quantity of liquid milk. The result is very similar, with a slightly wetter crumb, which is usually not a problem.

For recipes that are more sensitive to liquid balance (some pastries), it is possible to slightly reduce the total amount of liquid added, by around 10%, to compensate for the additional water provided by the milk.

Unsweetened condensed milk, a close alternative

Theunsweetened condensed milk(not to be confused with sweetened condensed milk) is obtained by evaporating some of the water from milk: it is therefore richer in proteins and lactic sugars than conventional liquid milk, which brings it closer to the behavior of reconstituted milk powder. It can be diluted with a little water to restore the consistency of normal milk, or used as it is in recipes that require richer milk.

Plant-based alternatives

For lactose-free recipes, there is alsosoy milk powder, which is a direct substitute for conventional milk powder in the same proportions. Otherwise, liquid vegetable milk (soy, almond, oats) can replace the water in the recipe, with a slightly less pronounced effect on browning since these milks often contain less protein than cow's milk.

Our tips

►Keep the proportions of the total liquid

When replacing powdered milk and water with liquid milk, make sure that the total amount of liquid stays close to that provided in the original recipe.

►Prefer whole milk

Whole milk, which is higher in fat and protein than semi-skimmed milk, is more similar to the result obtained with reconstituted milk powder.

►Dilute the condensed milk if necessary

If you use unsweetened condensed milk, dilute it with a little water to avoid a paste that is too rich or dense.

Powdered milk is not essential: liquid milk, unsweetened condensed milk or a vegetable alternative can obtain a very satisfactory result.

You can also read:Can you replace crème fraîche with yogurtandHow to make icing sugar at home.

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