Your New Secret Ingredient for Baking

If you’re an avid baker like myself and are always on the lookout for innovative ingredients to elevate your recipes, then brown milk powder, or caramelised/toasted milk powder, might just be your next best discovery. This versatile and flavourful ingredient is gaining popularity among home bakers and professional chefs alike for its unique ability to add depth, richness, and a subtle caramel note to a variety of baked goods. I’m sharing what makes brown milk powder special, its benefits, and how you can make it at home.

What is Brown/Toasted Milk Powder?

Brown milk powder, often called caramelized milk powder, or toasted milk powder is essentially milk powder that has been toasted to develop a rich, nutty, and caramel-like flavour. This transformation is achieved by carefully heating the milk powder, allowing the natural sugars in the milk to caramelize. The result is a powder with a deeper colour and a flavour profile reminiscent of butterscotch or toasted caramel.

When you make brown butter – an amazing flavour enhancer too, the little brown bits at the bottom of the pan are essentially the milk solids from the butter which brown and give the distinctive flavour.

The science behind this is known as the Maillard reaction, a complex chemical process that occurs when proteins and sugars in food are exposed to heat, resulting in browning and the development of rich flavours and aromas. It plays a crucial role in cooking, contributing to the savoury taste and appealing colour of grilled meats, baked goods, roasted coffee, and many other foods

How to Make Brown Milk Powder

Making your own brown milk powder at home is a simple process that only requires one ingredient and a bit of patience. Here are two methods to get you started:

I prefer doing it on the stovetop in a very wide nonstick pan. This way I have total control over what is going on. Experiment with your preferred way of doing it. 

Because I was stirring the milk powder continuously it did not clump. If you experience any clumping, simply whizz it through your food processor to break it up.

Dry Frying Method

Find my preferred recipe for a dry-frying method at the end of this post.

Oven Method

Ingredients: 1 cup of milk powder (full-fat or skim, depending on your preference).

Instructions:

Preheat the Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 150C (300°F). This moderate temperature is crucial for achieving an even caramelisation without burning the milk powder.

Spread the Milk Powder: Take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Evenly spread the milk powder across the sheet, breaking up any clumps with a spoon or your fingers.

Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Allow the milk powder to toast for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to ensure even browning. Keep a close eye on the powder, as it can quickly go from beautifully caramelized to burnt.

Cool and Store: Once the milk powder has reached a golden-brown colour and has a nutty aroma, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely. Transfer the cooled brown milk powder to an airtight container and store it in a cool, dry place.

Benefits of Using Brown Milk Powder in Baking

1. Enhanced Flavour Profile

The primary reason bakers love brown milk powder is its ability to add a complex flavour profile to baked goods. The caramelization process brings out sweet, nutty, and toasty notes that can transform ordinary recipes into something extraordinary.

2. Versatility

Brown milk powder is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a wide range of recipes. From cookies, cakes, bread, rusks, waffles and pancakes to custards, and ice cream, the unique flavour complements both sweet and savoury dishes. You can even sprinkle it over cooked oatmeal or yoghurt for a different breakfast flavour.

3. Improved Texture

In addition to its flavour, brown milk powder can enhance the texture of your baked goods. It adds a certain richness and moisture, resulting in soft, tender cakes and chewy cookies. I have had incredible results with my classic buttermilk rusks and will continue to update this post as I use it to enhance my other recipes

4. Nutritional Benefits

While the primary appeal of brown milk powder is its flavour, it still retains the nutritional benefits of regular milk powder. It provides essential nutrients such as calcium, protein, and vitamins, making it a more nutritious option compared to some other flavourings.

Recipes you can add toasted milk powder to

1. Cookies

Add a tablespoon of brown milk powder to your favourite cookie recipe for an extra layer of flavour. It pairs particularly well with chocolate chip cookies, adding a subtle butterscotch undertone that complements the chocolate perfectly.

Vanilla snap biscuits

White chocolate, cranberry and macadamia cookies

Chunky New York chocolate chip cookies

Maybe the best way to use toasted milk powder is in rusks. A classic South African baked treat. You can add it to any rusk recipe to create richness (reminiscent of Bakers Ouma’s rusks) but it is absolutely brilliant in classic buttermilk rusks.

Try my best buttermilk bran rusks.

2. Cakes

Incorporate brown milk powder into the dry ingredients of a vanilla cake recipe. The result is a moist and flavourful cake with a hint of caramel that will have everyone asking for the secret ingredient.

The best hummingbird sheet cake

The best tres leches cake

3. Latte / hot chocolate

For a cosy and indulgent drink, stir a teaspoon of brown milk powder into your morning coffee or latte, or hot chocolate. It adds a creamy, caramel flavour that elevates your usual cup of joe.

4. Ice cream

Toasted or brown milk power could add a delicious toasty flavour to many ice cream flavours such as:

A classic vanilla bean ice cream

Coffee tequila ice cream with chocolate malted chocolates (chuckles/Malteser)

Millionaires shortbread ice cream

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