Coconut milk
Coconut milk is the creamy liquid extracted from the coconut kernel, often mixed with water and coconut cream. It can also yield a high-fat cream through gravitational separation or centrifugation. To prepare it, skim milk powder is blended with coconut milk from freshly grated coconut and pasteurized at 70-72°C for 10 minutes, resulting in a mixture containing 6% skim milk powder and 9.65% total solids. Widely used in Southeast Asian cuisines and beyond, coconut milk is a vital ingredient.
In another application, coconut skim milk was used to create fermented beverages by combining it with non-fat dry milk and Lactobacillus bulgaricus culture. Sensory evaluations determined that a 50% coconut skim milk to 50% non-fat dry milk ratio was the most preferred formulation. The ready-to-drink fermented beverage concentrate, when diluted at 1:3, includes approximately 1% protein, 0.74% fat, 18.70% sugar, and 79.25% water. This concentrate remained stable even after 2 months of storage, demonstrating that coconut skim milk is well-suited for cultured milk processing.
Coconut cream
Coconut cream is a rich, concentrated extract from mature coconuts, commonly used directly or diluted with water in a variety of culinary creations such as curries, sweets, desserts, and puddings. Processed and packaged coconut cream typically has a shelf life of six months. Once opened, it should be refrigerated for future use. Derived from fresh and mature coconuts, coconut cream offers a convenient way to enjoy the intense flavor and creamy texture of coconut milk in cooking and baking.
