Is it possible to freeze coconut milk for storage and what cocktails to prepare after defrosting?

Doubts about whether coconut milk can be frozen are unfounded. The product tolerates freezing well, without losing any beneficial properties or taste. This storage method is considered the longest. Milk can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months and can be used at any time to prepare drinks and dishes.

Is it worth freezing - pros and cons

No one will specifically buy coconut milk with the intention of freezing it. Typically, freezing is used when you need to preserve leftover unused food. This is precisely the main advantage of this storage method. By freezing, the coconut milk will not go to waste and will be used later.

The fact is that after opening the package, the product can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days. Milk from a can (we are talking about a tin container) must be poured into a glass bottle immediately after opening. If it is already clear that the product will not be used in the coming days, you can skip this stage and immediately begin freezing.

The benefits of freezing milk also include the following:

• long shelf life;
• ease of further use;
• preservation of taste properties.

Freezing also has its disadvantages. Because coconut milk is an emulsion, it will separate when thawed.This does not mean the product is of low quality; you just need to shake the liquid with a fork and the consistency will be restored. The product cannot be frozen twice. You just need to remember this and take out a portion from the freezer that will be used up at one time.

How to freeze

The method for freezing a drink depends on its packaging. If the milk was purchased in a cardboard box with a screw-on lid, you do not need to pour it into another container, but put it in the freezer in its original packaging. Canned milk from a can must be poured into another container to ensure a tight seal.

Before freezing a product, you should ensure its quality. Coconut milk should not have any foreign taste (when stored in an open tin, the product begins to taste tinny after a short time). Also, the color of the milk should not change. A gray or pinkish tint can be considered signs of spoilage.

Freezing Tips

First of all, you need to take care of the milk container. Containers must be clean and dry. Suitable for use:

1. Zip closure bags made from dense, high-pressure polyethylene. You can purchase a similar product on the Internet, where it is sold in packs of 100 pieces. Suitable size: 60x80 mm. The high density of the material and the sealed lock guarantee no leaks.
2. Small plastic bottles with caps. You can use used containers from liquid yoghurts and other drinks. Thrifty housewives always keep several of these containers in the house just in case.
3. Ice molds.Milk is poured into them and pre-frozen to obtain cubes, which are later poured into a common bag and taken out as needed during storage. You can use not ordinary, but shaped molds to get milk stars, shells or hearts, especially if there are children in the house who adore drinks with added coconut milk.

Glass jars should not be used. Liquids expand as they freeze and the container may break. To freeze milk in bags and plastic bottles for storage, they are not completely filled for the same reason (increasing volume).

Storage conditions

When the milk is in the freezer, you need to turn on the blast freezing mode, in which the refrigerant circulates continuously. If the product freezes slowly, some of the nutrients will be lost. During storage, the temperature regulator in the freezer should be set to – 24° C.

In this case, bacterial growth stops completely, and the milk will be stored for as long as possible – up to six months. The temperature should remain stable at all times. After thawing, milk should not be frozen again, otherwise the product will spoil.

How to defrost correctly

The main thing is that defrosting occurs smoothly. There are several ways to defrost coconut milk:

1. In the refrigerator compartment. This is the most gentle way of thawing. The container with milk is transferred from the freezer to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator 6-8 hours before use.
2. At room temperature. The package or bottle is taken out of the refrigerator and left on the kitchen table. Depending on the volume of the container and the air temperature, the defrosting process will take from 2 to 4 hours.
3. In water.The container with milk is immersed first in cold and then in warm water. This method will defrost milk somewhat faster than at room temperature.

It is not recommended to defrost the product by exposing it to heat (heating it on the stove, putting it in the microwave). In this case, coconut milk will not only separate, but also lose its beneficial properties.

Where to use

Frozen milk cubes are ideal for adding to hot drinks - coffee, cocoa, softening their taste and at the same time cooling them. The canned product is added to Asian soups and curries. During Lent, you can bake pancakes with coconut milk, which will turn out quite rich. This product is also used as an ingredient for cocktails and smoothies.

Cocktail recipe with coconut milk and fruits

The drink turns out to be satisfying, healthy, pampers the taste buds and lifts your spirits.

Ingredients:

• 200 ml coconut milk;
• 150 ml vanilla yogurt;
• 100 g chopped apple;
• 1 peeled ripe banana;
• 1.5 tbsp. l. liquid honey.

The cocktail is easy to prepare. All ingredients are simultaneously loaded into a blender and blended until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. The thick, delicious drink is poured into glasses and served as a dessert or snack. The recipe can be modified by removing some ingredients and replacing them with others. For example, replacing an apple with fresh berries, and yogurt with regular cow's milk.

It is important to know that the calorie content of coconut milk is higher than that of cow's milk, therefore the consumption rate is lower. The product is not drunk just like that, but is used as an additive to drinks and dishes.

Once frozen, coconut milk can be safely used in regular recipes.Its quality and taste will remain the same. The flaky texture of the product in this case is normal. To make the milk homogeneous again, it must be stirred vigorously.