Aug 19
2010

(Sort of) Brazilian Sweetened Condensed Milk Strawberry Limeade

in Culinary Adventurism, Drinks, Family, Recipes by Type

You probably thought that my obsession with recipes containing sweetened condensed milk had finally passed.  But I’m back today with a sweetened condensed milk sneak attack!

Limeade made with sweetened condensed milk

Just when you thought the coast was clear!  I know, I’m mean like that.  I’m sorry.  I can’t help myself.  I blame it all on my mom’s side of the family.  Seriously.  My free will was taken from me the moment my mom started the sweetened condensed milk family email discussion and I’ve been pathetically helpless ever since. (And hey, no family members are allowed to take advantage of my use of the word “mean,” “pathetic,” or “helpless” in describing myself in any future family emails . . . . Yeah, you know who you are.)  Family recipes have ranged from pies, to cookie bars, to cakes and drinks.  My cousin Julie was even kind enough to share her favorite recipe using sweetened condensed milk:

Julie’s Sweetened Condensed Milk Treat

INGREDIENTS:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
spoon

Do not eat spoon.

I had to laugh when I read that one, as I recently confessed the theft of a can of sweetened condensed milk to my mother that I committed when I was about 10 years old.  When I was growing up, whenever my mom made something using sweetened condensed milk, I remember begging her to give me the empty can so that I could use my finger to capture any remaining molecules of the sweet elixir and then lick my finger clean.  I remember one day that the temptation of the sweetened condensed milk sitting in the pantry became so great that I finally gave in, sneaking a can of it out of the pantry and spiriting it away to my bedroom, where I proceeded to eat the contents of the can by myself over the course of the next couple of days.  So yeah Julie, I love your recipe.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Some of you may be scratching your heads thinking, “What? I mean, c’mon Rachael, sweetened condensed milk is so ‘old school.’  Only people still making molded jell-o dishes, tuna surprise casserole, and pigs in a blanket, drinking Tab and Tang, and decorating with avocado green and harvest gold shag carpet still use sweetened condensed milk as much as you do.”  But I’d like to submit that it’s time for you to rethink those seemingly mundane cans of sweetened condensed milk at your local supermarket.  First of all, if you look at the ingredients listed on a can of sweetened condensed milk, you are going to see two things listed: concentrated whole milk and sugar.  That’s it.  No undesirable preservatives, no high fructose corn syrup, no ingredients that sound like they belong in an evil scientist’s secret lab . . . just milk and sugar.  My highly intelligent mother also made an important argument as to why you should reconsider sweetened condensed milk: “Perhaps if you look at it as an important part of international cuisine, it might regain its luster.”

You see, my family discovered through our crazy joint sweetened condensed milk exploration, that sweetened condensed milk has an important international presence.  In an effort to be more appreciative of other world cultures, I submit that we need to further explore the world of sweetened condensed milk.  I’ve already told you about its presence in Japan, but our family discussion also revealed other countries that utilize sweetened condensed milk in their cuisine.  My cousin Lisa, who lives in London, England, shared a recipe for Banoffee Pie, an English pie that is made with bananas, cream, toffee, and boiled sweetened condensed milk.  My brother shared an avocado smoothie recipe that uses sweetened condensed milk as the sweetener.  After a bit of research, my mom discovered that this is a popular Vietnamese treat (Sinh to Bo).  Further investigation has revealed that sweetened condensed milk is a common ingredient in many Vietnamese treats, such as Vietnamese iced coffee, and Vietnamese Cassava Cake (Banh Khoai Mi).  Flipping through an Indian cookbook during this International exploration, I found several dessert recipes containing sweetened condensed milk, including little coconut balls (Nariyal Laddoo) and cardamom ice cream (Elaichi Kulfi).  But it was ultimately Brazil that prompted the recipe in this post.  After posting my initial Sweetened Condensed Milk Mania recipe for Caramel Popcorn, my friend Damaris left a comment saying, “Sweetened condensed milk is the first ingredient of every Brazilian recipe. It’s the ultimate good ingredient.”  My uncle, who lived for several years in Brazil, shared a recipe for Brazilian lemonade.  At the time I had strawberry syrup sitting in the refrigerator, leftover from making Strawberry Condensed Milk Japanese Shaved Ice, so I decided to try out my uncle’s recipe, adapting it to use up some of the strawberry syrup.

Making Sweetened Condensed Strawberry Limeade

All I can say is that I should probably never move to Brazil.  If their other recipes that use sweetened condensed milk are this delicious, I would quickly become the size of an elephant because I would have zero self-control.  This drink is the perfect balance of sweet strawberry and zingy tart lime—incredibly refreshing and incredibly addictive.  When you add the sweetened condensed milk to the rest of the ingredients and blend everything together, it develops a delicious creamy foam that will have you pouring yourself a second glass, and then a third, and then . . . .

(Sort of) Brazilian Sweetened Condensed Milk Strawberry Limeade

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

(Sort of) Brazilian Sweetened Condensed Milk Strawberry Limeade

Adapted from Big Davy’s Brazilian Lemonade Recipe

Makes about 4 3/4 cups of limeade3 cups cold water
1 cup strawberry syrup
juice of 4 limes
zest of 1 lime, finely grated
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1. Put the the cold water, strawberry syrup, lime juice, and lime zest in a blender.  Pulse several times until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

2. Add the sweetened condensed milk and blend thoroughly.  Serve immediately over ice.

{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }

Jessica @ How Sweet August 19, 2010 at 11:44 am

Wow this sounds delicious – and is a combo I would have NEVER thought of!

Reply

Camila August 19, 2010 at 12:09 pm

Oh, absolutely on Brazilians loving condensed milk! My family pours it on every kind of dessert: strawberries and fruit salad soon become ‘condensed milk with some fruit on top’.

I think all my family’s dessert recipies have condensed milk as an essential part of it. This is definitely a blast back to my home country! Thank you!

Reply

damaris August 19, 2010 at 12:41 pm

Bravo. Now all you need to do is go down to Brazil during Carnival and dance it up. You’re practically a Brazilian. The more sweetened condensed milk you eat the more your genetic makeup will start looking Brazilian.

Reply

Paula - bell'alimento August 19, 2010 at 12:49 pm

Slurp! I have a can in my pantry right now… sorry I have to go now ttyl ; ) LOL

Reply

Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction August 19, 2010 at 1:07 pm

LOL.. You and the sweetened condensed milk! I think the addiction might be contagious because I’m starting to crave it! :)

Reply

Ale August 19, 2010 at 1:17 pm

It is true sweetened condensed milk is one of our staple foods!!!! I love the Brazilian limemade. I make my a bit different, and in Brasil they are called swiss limemade , hahahaha, but it is still delicious isn’t it? LOVE IT. I need to send you a picture of the sweetned condensed milk bombons we make…YUM

Reply

Manu Miranda August 19, 2010 at 2:45 pm

Brazilian girl over here \o/ Like Ale said, for some reason we do call it Swiss lemonade =P Yeah! We’re weird lol

Almost every dessert we do here has condensed milk. If you can find a Brazilian store there, buy Leite Moça. It’s the best one! Trust me. It’s sweet and has an amazing consistency.

Thanks for sharing amazing recipes!!!

Have a good night! xoxo

Reply

Cooking Gallery August 19, 2010 at 3:05 pm

I normally use condensed milk for avocado milkshake. The recipe for the limeade sounds interesting and I’d love to try it …!

Reply

Belinda @zomppa August 19, 2010 at 5:12 pm

I have never thought about condensed milk in a milkshake – love condensed milk on almost anything – toast and condensed milk. This is terrific!

Reply

Barbara | VinoLuciStyle August 19, 2010 at 6:27 pm

I managed to pass by the shaved ice treat but you might have me with this cause I love the addition of the lime; just enough to not have it be too sweet.

And, what’s wrong with pigs in a blanket anyway?

Reply

Bianca @ South Bay Rants n Raves August 19, 2010 at 9:06 pm

This looks refreshing! Also I didn’t know condensed milk was “old school”. Then again come to think of it, my MIL uses it all the time & I always have called them the betty crocker family! :)

Reply

Betty @ scrambled hen fruit August 19, 2010 at 9:15 pm

Long ago when I was at girl scout camp, we made this concoction which we all thought was the bees knees. We spread sweetened condensed milk on a slice of soft white bread and sprinkled coconut over the top. Some warmed it in their little “mess tin” and some ate it just as it was. Your strawberry limeade would have been welcomed as well- it sounds so good!

Reply

fooddreamer August 20, 2010 at 3:09 am

Sweetened condensed milk is da bomb! Of course, not so good for pre-diabetics such as myself, but this recipe *might* be worth sending my blood sugar sky-rocketing.

And yeah, as a kid I would make Magic Cookie Bars and always use a spatula to scrape out the can straight into my mouth!

Reply

Jenny Flake August 20, 2010 at 8:58 am

I’d like to sit by the pool with one of your gorgeous limeades in hand! Looks fabulous girl!

Reply

Michelle August 20, 2010 at 9:25 am

This is similar to a Cream Ale and if you’re not from Flint, MI I doubt you’ve ever had a Cream Ale.

Reply

David Kenison August 20, 2010 at 9:58 am

Big Davy likes the way you adapted the recipe – he’ll have to try your version soon!

Reply

Tracy August 20, 2010 at 9:58 am

Mmm, looks refreshing! I never would have thought to add in the condensed milk!

Reply

Marita August 20, 2010 at 10:11 am

This looks beautiful, have you tried pioneer womans tre leche cake? I dream of it’s sweetness at night- and I don’t even like cake! Can’t wait to read more recipes

Reply

Joy August 20, 2010 at 11:19 am

Hmmmm condensed milk. I love the stuff. That looks great.

Reply

Kate @ Savour Fare August 20, 2010 at 1:39 pm

This is making my teeth ache just to look at it, which doesn’t mean I’m not going to go home and root around in my cupboard for a can of condensed milk!

Reply

Jen @ How To: Simplify August 20, 2010 at 2:55 pm

What an interesting beverage choice! I’ll have to give this one a try!

Reply

Lisa { AuthenticSuburbanGourmet } August 21, 2010 at 9:07 am

What an interesting drink – this is a must try!!

Reply

Maria August 21, 2010 at 7:50 pm

Holy richness! What a yummy drink!

Reply

Carol Egbert August 22, 2010 at 1:34 pm

Looks and sounds wonderful You post makes me brave enough to confess I’ve been buying ( and drinking) chocolate milk and loving it.

Reply

Cookin' Canuck August 25, 2010 at 8:01 pm

I love the “don’t eat the spoon” instruction – gave me a good chuckle. I adore avocado smoothies, so I’d imagine I might wax on about this creation as well. I will definitely be trying this!

Reply

Zammsom September 13, 2010 at 12:02 am

Spoon schmoon! No need for dishes to wash… just use a can opener (the kind that makes triangle shapes), poke a hole on one side, poke a hole on the other side, and suck the heavenly goodness right in to your mouth. Much less messy!

PS. I used to get a can of SCM in my stocking at Christmas… from Santa! I know, right?

Reply

Leave a Comment

{ 1 trackback }

Previous post:

Next post: