Can You Freeze Chocolate Milk?
Chocolate milk is a delectable option to drink milk. If your children refuse to drink milk, you must be giving them milk with chocolate, and they will finish in no time. Now, that’s what chocolate does, be it in milk or any other recipe.
Milk with chocolate is no less than a drink to drool for. It is so tasty that no one can refuse a glass. We all have different ways to enjoy chocolate milk, some like it chilled, some like it warm, but it is chocolate milk after all!
You must be buying chocolate milk from the stores, or making it at home. Whatever you do, milk does not have a very long shelf life. It degrades within days when opened, or when made at home. So, what can you do to preserve milk for longer? Can you freeze chocolate milk?
Yes, you can freeze chocolate milk. And, it is perfectly fine to freeze chocolate milk. Chocolate milk can stay in the freezer for a few months. If you want to know more about freezing milk, read on for the details.
How To Freeze Chocolate Milk?
Freezing chocolate milk is very simple and easy. It freezes the same way as milk. If you are freezing store-bought chocolate milk, you only need to stack the packages in the freezer, because you can freeze milk in its original carton or container. But for homemade chocolate milk to be frozen, you need to follow certain steps.
Check out the step-by-step approach for freezing chocolate milk here.
- If you have large batches of chocolate milk, consider freezing it in portions. This is because you would not be defrosting all the milk at once; therefore it is best that you freeze the chocolate milk in portions. Freezing in serving amounts also means you can thaw and use the milk whenever you want without wastage.
- Take small airtight containers or bottles and transfer the chocolate milk carefully into the containers. Make sure you do not fill the container completely; leave a headspace of about 1 inch. As milk expands upon freezing, this will allow sufficient space for expansion in an airtight container.
- Seal the containers or bottles tightly. Label and date them. Stack the containers in the freezer and your chocolate milk is ready to be frozen.
Tips For Freezing The Chocolate Milk!
Now that you know the way to freeze chocolate milk, we have a few freezing tips for you that will ensure better frozen milk. Check them out here.
- Never freeze chocolate milk in freezer bags if it is in its liquid form. Always use airtight containers or bottles for freezing the milk. However, if you wish to use freezer bags, consider freezing the milk as ice cubes first, and then transferring into freezer bags for freezing. Freezing in containers will also save freezer room, so it is advised to use containers over freezer bags.
- If you skim the chocolate milk before freezing, it freezes more effectively. However, there is not much of a difference, but skimmed milk has lower calories than whole milk. Therefore, if you are freezing homemade chocolate milk, it is best if you skim the milk first and then freeze it after cooling.
- Do not forget to leave room for expansion. This is an important step and should not be avoided in any case. Chocolate milk, just like normal milk, has liquid constituents, which tend to expand upon freezing. Therefore it is a must that you leave a headspace before freezing the milk.
Does Chocolate Milk Freeze Well?
Yes, chocolate milk freezes well for its 4-month freezing duration. You will rarely notice any texture or flavor alterations during this period. However, if you keep the milk for more than 4 months in the freezer, it will develop ice crystals and thus will show texture changes due to the formation of these crystals. Also, to ensure that chocolate milk freezes well, seal the containers adequately.
Is It Possible To Freeze Chocolate Milk To Make Popsicles?
Yes, it is possible to freeze chocolate milk to make popsicles. In fact, chocolate milk is a great ingredient for making recipes like chocolate popsicles. Freezing chocolate milk to make popsicles later, is the same as you would do with regular frozen milk.
The milk will solidify upon freezing but that will not affect the popsicle recipe. You can use the milk normally in the popsicle recipe after it has defrosted completely. So, whether you are freezing chocolate milk for making popsicles or not, you can always make popsicles from frozen chocolate milk.
Is It Possible To Freeze The Milk To Make Ice Creams?
Ice creams cannot be produced from any kind of frozen milk, be it chocolate milk or regular milk. So, if you are freezing milk to make ice creams, it is a big no. This is because the ice cream recipe requires properly churned milk that is mixed with other ingredients. And that is not possible with frozen chocolate milk; therefore chocolate milk will not be good for making ice creams.
However, if you would like to make ice creams from frozen milk, there is a way. You can mix condensed milk with chocolate milk before freezing it. It is possible to make ice creams from the frozen mixture of condensed milk and chocolate milk.
How Long To Freeze Chocolate Milk?
Chocolate milk keeps best in the freezer for about 4 months, especially when it is homemade. While it is technically possible to freeze the milk for more than 4 months, it is advised not to do so. This is for the reason that the milk will develop ice crystals the longer you keep it in the freezer. As a result, you will notice texture alterations.
Therefore, it is best to consume frozen chocolate milk as soon as possible. You would definitely not want your chocolate milk to be ruined by keeping it longer in the freezer.
Can You Refreeze The Chocolate Milk?
Well, it is technically possible to refreeze chocolate milk, but not advised to do so. This is because the milk already solidifies upon freezing, and refreezing will lead to the formation of more ice crystals, which will give a watery taste when defrosted again.
Also, refreezing the chocolate milk might also alter the creamy flavor. Therefore, avoid refreezing chocolate milk. You can also do this by defrosting only the required quantities of chocolate milk from the freezer.
How To Defrost Chocolate Milk?
Just like freezing, it is equally easy to defrost chocolate milk. All you have to do is remove the chocolate milk from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. This will allow for gradual temperature shifts, and therefore the milk will defrost well.
On the other hand, if you want to consume the chocolate milk slightly warm, you can defrost the milk in the microwave to the appropriate temperature for some time. Also, keep in mind that you never defrost chocolate milk at normal room temperature as this will degrade the milk.
Summing it up, that was all about chocolate milk when frozen. Now you know that you can freeze the milk and chocolate milk will last in the freezer for 4 months, effectively. Also, you can do one thing, keep the milk in the refrigerator if you wish to consume it within 3-4 days.