Conference turris::cooks

    I would highly suggest you open the can of condensed milk or at least
    use a can opener of partially open the can before you put it in the
    saucepan and bring to boil...it may go BOOM!
    
    						Cynthia

    My better half says you don't need to open the can. She has made the
    pie for me several times and has never had any problems. She does say
    however, that you have to be careful when you open the can after
    boiling/cooling.
    
    Regards.
    
    Me.

    Any idea of the size of the tin of condensed milk?  The Eagle brand
    comes in (I'm guessing here) a 4 and 8 oz. size.  Probably the 8 to cover 
    the bottom of the crust?  Sounds really good.
     

    As you mention the Eagle brand, I'm assuming you're from over the pond
    as I've never heard of it over here in England. While were on the
    subject, I hope 'condensed milk' means the same in both countries.
    
    Anyway, it's the 8oz tin.
    
    Happy eating.

    Re .1, she also says it won't go toffee like if you open the can.
    
    Once again.
    
    Me.

�I hope 'condensed milk' means the same in both countries.
    
    Good question.  Here in the States, Evaporated milk is milk which has
    had alot of the water removed before packaging.  Condensed milk is
    usually seen as sweetened condensed milk.  It has had alot of sugar
    added after the evaporation step.

    I am sure it means "Sweetened Condensed Milk" since it won't go Toffee
    if there isn't any sugar in it.  It has to have the sugar.
    
    

  Boiling the can method goes back to the '30's or so.  My family does this
  all the time.... the current cans will tell you not to do this as somebody
  probably let the water boil out and the can exploded. You have to keep
  the can covered with "just boiling"  water for an extended length of time.
  My aunt just made me a copy of a cookbook from the 30's from EAGLE BRAND
  and this recipe is in there.  They "pushed" it out of the can sliced it
  and topped it with whipped cream for "an easy dessert" for company. Yea right! 

  I should say my family does this, I haven't tried it yet... I just never
  have that much time to "carmelize" the milk.  It is goooood though! The most
  common way it's used in my family is as a filling for Chocolate cake!

  /teri

    My recipe for Banoffee Pie originates from a small restaurant in
    Sussex called "The Hungry Monk" .My Uncle and Aunt frequent the
    Restaurant regularly and it was they who first introduced me to this
    delicacy. The Resturant has become so popular that they published
    2 recipe books.
    
    Sarah.

    OK, I'm going to make this pie very soon (maybe tonight). Keep the can
    COVERED with water, or right up to the top of the can, or 1/3 of the
    way up (like a bain-mari?)????  I REALLY don't want this to go BOOM, as
    someone already suggested : ) BUt it sounds like I'm safe as long as
    the water level doesn't get too low?
    Sarah

    As said here, this way of "cooking" condensed milk is very old... I
    used to have it at home since I can remember... my Mom used to take the
    paper wraper from the can, wash the can and throw it inside any pots she 
    was cooking! no need to fuss, she would put it in when cooking beans, when
    making soup stock from bones... or in making "cocido" a Spanish chick
    bean and meat dish very popular everywhere in Spain... all it needs to
    be done was... fish the can out of the pan, let it cool and that was
    IT!
    

it is safest is to cover the can with simmering water - a nice heathy bubbling
motion will work the magic...and keep the can covered by having a kettle
of water simmering on the stove and using it to top off the pan in which
the milk is cooking.

    Couldn't you just open the can and put the contents into a microwave
    dish, and then microwave. It would probably be a lot quicker and 
    you have to worry about the can bursting. I know when I make turtle
    cake I put the carmel and condensed milk in the microwave until 
    they are all melted together.

    My wife made this stuff for a dinner party last year. We used the
    Hungry Monk book for the recipe ( as in the base note ) but mashed it
    into vanilla ice cream - this is in the book also. It didn't go boom -
    and it went down very well. She used the US version of condensed milk.
    Just thinking of the old Hungry Monk makes me hungry - I used to go
    there a lot when in Brighton on business ( that's when I worked for a
    profitable company ! ).
    The book has lots of good recipies
    
    Rod ( ex pat ! )
    

    I made this pie last night, but made a slight variation...I poured some
    hot fudge sauce over it before I put on the whipped cream.  The can
    didn't go boom, and the pie was absolutely delicious. I would have
    liked to have added some pecans to it, but I didn't have any.  You can
    vary this base any number of ways, or leave it as it.  A really nice,
    but VERY rich dessert.
    You might also want to make note that the pie crust should be baked
    first.  The original recipe doesn't mention baking the crust. 
    Sarah

    .0>When the tin of milk is cool enough to pick up, open.
    .0>Care must be taken when doing this.
    
    So now that everyone knows it's safe to cook an unopened can of
    sweetened condensed milk, why does care have to be taken while opening
    the cooled can?  What could/will happen?

    My take on it was to be sure it was cooled.  Molten toffee probably has
    a similar effect on your skin as melted sugar...but if it's be careful
    opening the can, then I have no idea.  Maybe it will bubble over? OR
    similar to the pressure-cooker mishaps when opened before the steam
    vents?

    The problem only occurs if you have not let the tin cool sufficiently.
    Otherwise your fingers,face kitchen walls etc. may suffer ;-)

    
    I made this over the weekend and it is the most delicious thing I've
    eaten in ages.
    
    I followed the recipe exactly (not opening the tin, boiling for 3
    hours etc), and it worked like a dream.