Hi all!!!

I purchased a can of coconut milk for a cake recipe that I found on this site. However, when I open the can it is not like milk at all, more like paste. Is that the way it is supose to be???

Hazel

when i used it it was more like condensed milk consistancey if that helps at all it was thick but not like paste.
hope this helps.

My mom is for the Carribean and cooks with coconut milk constantly and i'm pretty sure its not a thick consistency. She still does the old school way and pops a couple holes on top of can and pours the liquid into her pot or etc. Hope this helps

Thanks, I guess it is back to the store!

Is the entire can the paste consistency? I've had cans where the top 1/2-1 inch is very thick/creamy, but under that it's very thin. I'm not sure how old these must be, but they always taste fine!

I hope this information helps:

Chaokoh Coconut Milk:
This Thai-produced coconut milk has a thick, puddinglike consistency; you scoop it out of the can rather than pour it.

There are two grades of coconut milk: thick and thin. Thick coconut cream is prepared by directly squeezing grated coconut meat through a cheesecloth. The squeezed coconut meat is then soaked in warm water and squeezed a second or third time for thin coconut milk. The difference between coconut cream and coconut milk is that coconut milk is of a 'pourable' consistency whereas coconut cream has an almost 'spreadable' consistency.

One last thing, coconut cream is not the same as cream of coconut. .

Are you sure you didn't buy Cream of Coconut instead of Coconut Milk? There is definitely a big difference.

AHHHHHHH! The picture is becoming more clear.

There is a separation of the thick paste (pudding texture) in the bottom of the can it is thinner. ( I didn't check before) But all in all still very thick.

It is labeled coconut milk and it is THAI. It even says premium first pressing. (Which, until now, I did not know what that meant.)

I think part of my confusion was that I thought the liquid you get when you crack the coconut open was the coconut milk. So that is what I was expecting. (Obviously, I don't use coconut products very often! And then it always comes in a bag with BAKERS on the front. )

Thank you all so much!!!!!!

Hazel

Thank you for starting this thread, MBHazel! I learned something myself.

And I, thinking I knew it all, was just positive that I knew what I was talking about.

The truth is, I have only used cream of coconut.

I also thought that coconut milk was the liquid that comes out of the coconut right after you crack it open. Mea Culpa!!

I guess that's what I get for thinking. This will make me think twice about posting something that I'm not 100% sure about.

And thank you, GatuPR, for the lesson.

I'm sorry, MBHazel. Are we still CC friends?

LadyMike

Hi LadyMike! You bet, the best of CC friends!

Actually, I went back to check the can to make sure it didn't say cream! Your comment was right, there is a difference. Even more than I thought!

Now all we need to know is what is that stuff that you pour out of the coconut called? Juice???? Then we will be coconut experts!!!!

Talk to you soon,

Hazel

Don't feel bad, MBHazel and LadyMike. About 6 years ago, I bought 4 cans of coconut cream at a Publix thinking they were cream of coconut for $0.97 ea. I thought what a bargain. I went home and opened one and knew it was not the same. That's when I did a search and found the difference between them.

You're right, MBHazel, the water inside a young coconut is called coconut water or juice.

If you want, you can make your own coconut milk by using a bag of unsweetened shredded coconut and hot (not boiling) water. Let it sit for 5 minutes and put it in a blender and let it cool a little and then through a sieve or cheesecloth and squeeze the liquid out. It will only last a day or two in the fridge.

LadyMike, do you buy the cream of coconut to make Piña Coladas?

MBHazel, did you make the cake?

Hi GatuPR !

Yes I made the cake. By Tuesday I will have to go and buy bigger jeans.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Hazel

I always shake cans of coconut milk really good before opening so that the contents are blended together good so I can pour it straight from the can onto my cake.

I come from the Philippines and we always use freshly grated coconuts to use for coconut cream and milk. The first liquid that we squeeze from the grated coconut, we call it the first milk-which I guess is equivalent to cream; and use that as the last ingredient to put in a dish to thicken it...
the 2nd squeeze of liquid is now the coconut milk, which if you have to boil meats or any other types of veggies to soften, is what we put use... The water inside the coconut is the juice itself and it is very refreshing during summer. But am glad at times that I now just have to open a can and pour it out when I need it. Like prterrell, I shake the cans first before opening it as some of the milk may have settled on the bottom of the can.
I hoped I am able to help...

O.K. all you cocnut experts out there. thanks for the wonderful insight.
one question for you......

in baking a cake, which kind of cocnut cream, milk, juice, etc can I substitute for whole milk?

and, in whipping up a recipe for filling that calls for whole milk, can I use one of the cocnut stuff?

My baking is non-dairy and I cannot find a normal substitute for whole milk that has the same consistancy.
I don't know much about coconuts, i'm from Russia originally and there were no coconuts there. So usually what we don't know, we tend to stay away from.

Please, somebody, help explain the cocnut differences.

I haven't used coconut milk in baking, but I would think that this would be a good description of each:

Coconut cream - heavy cream
Coconut milk - milk
coconut juice - water

I did use coconut juice in place of water in one of my asian cakes...it didn't change the texture....

To malishka's question about baking non-dairy - I also bake non-dairy for the same reasons. I always substitute non-dairy coffee creamer, usually Rich's coffee creamer, and it works the same as whole milk. And when I need a cream, I use their non-dairy whip topping cream as a liquid. Both come frozen in cartons. Isn't it available everywhere? I thought it was a standard item in the grocery, but maybe not?

then what is cream of coconut?
I haave heard that it is different from the coconut cream.

all this coconut stuff is confusing.

Malishka,
I found an explanation on the internet... hope this will clarify your confusion.

Coconut milk - Coconut milk is not the juice found inside a coconut, but the diluted cream pressed out from the thick, white flesh of a well-matured coconut. Coconut milk is a rich, creamy liquid made from water and coconut pulp. It is a staple ingredient in Thai curries and in beverages, sauces, soups, and desserts throughout Southeast Asia. Unsweetened coconut milk is available in cans at well-stocked grocery stores and Asian markets. Do not substitute cream of coconut.


Cream of coconut - Cream of coconut is a smooth, thick liquid made from fresh coconuts. It is thick and very sweet, and commonly used in mixed drinks. Can usually be found in liquor stores, available in liquid and powdered forms.

Substitutes for Cream of Coconut:
Sweetened condensed milk with coconut extract to taste

1 cup top layer of canned coconut milk (not low fat) - do not shake or stir can before skimming

1 cup heavy whipping cream (35%) plus 1/2 cup coconut cream powder

sweetpea223, you're awsome.
I guess I can substitute unsweetened coconut milk for whole milk and have the same consistancy.
I'll let you know how it comes out. I have a cake to do next weekend for my daughter's 11th birthday. As you know, kids are the best critics when it comes to sweets.