Fresh Milk
Liquid milk, full cream and skim are available for use in baking. All milk is Pasteurised (harmful bacteria destroyed by heat) and Homogenised (fat particles are made smaller by forcing the milk through a series of fine sieves) to increase shelf life, allows the milk to be frozen, thawed and used, kept refrigerated at 4°C.
Ultra-High-Temperature Milk UHT
The milk is heated to a temperature of 120°C and held for several seconds to destroy harmful bacteria. This milk does not require refrigeration until it is opened. Unopened, it has up to six months of shelf life. This type of milk has a slight caramel taste due to the longer heating process; the colour will also be darker than regular milk. Once opened, the shelf life is 5 days.
Milk Powders
The two types are Full Cream and Skimmed. Skimmed milk is best for baking as it has more lactose content than will assist in the browning of the crust. The reconstitution rate ranges between 10% to 15% of the liquid medium. Add up to 150g of milk powder to one litre of water. Commercial bread makers will use skimmed milk powder when making milk bread as it is more economical than liquid milk. Bakers milk powder is heated to denature the protein so it will not interfere with the gluten development when making bread.
Storage
Milk Powders are hygroscopic (attract moisture) and are best stored in airtight containers to prevent lumping.
Alternative Milk
Current trends have a range of new products targeted at the healthy alternative market. Oat, Almond, Soybean, Hazelnut, Cashew, Rice, and a range of plant-based milk find application in coffee shops and homes as an alternative to Cow’s milk. The author has limited experience with such products in baking but expects they will perform similarly to Cow’s milk when fat content and other component levels are equivalent.
Cheeses
For its flavour and colour in the grated or block form, Cheddar cheese adds colour in its grated form and finds applications across all bakery products – mozzarella as a topping on pizza. Cottage and Ricotta cheeses are also famous in bakery products as an accompaniment to fillings. Cottage cheese is used in a Spanakopita, a Greek cheese and spinach pie. In contrast, Ricotta cheese is used in the famous Italian baked cheesecake or as a traditional filling for Italian Cannoli.