To Fully Enjoy Sweetened Condensed Milk, Just Grab Toast

If you only use sweetened condensed milk for baking or making fudge, you are missing out. In addition to being perfect for sweetening drinks of all sorts and acting as a shortcut for ice cream, among other genius condensed milk hacks, it's an amazing toast topper. The process is easy: Make toast, spread a layer of butter, and drizzle or spread sweetened condensed milk on top. The result is a delicious combination of crispy, buttery toast with the creamy, rich sweetness of the condensed milk. You can also make a sandwich out of it by spreading the condensed milk in between two pieces of your favorite toast.

This combination is popular in Asian cultures, particularly Hong Kong, where it's served at cafes called cha chaan tengs. And while any type of toast will do, many recipes call for using a thick Asian-style bread like a dense white or this Japanese milk bread, perfect for extra indulgent French toast. The combo itself is worth trying, but it's easy to imagine the ways you could elevate this by adding cinnamon, nutmeg, or fresh fruit.

If you want to level up your toast and condensed milk situation, consider this twist on French toast. Hong Kong-style French toast is a flavorful affair, with peanut butter sandwiched between two pieces of fluffy bread — ideally milk bread or brioche — then deep fried to perfection and topped with butter and a generous drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. To make it, cut off the crusts of your bread, spread the peanut butter onto one and top with another slice. Dip the sandwich into beaten eggs — you can also make it more custard-like by using eggs, milk, and sugar. You can also add cinnamon if you'd like. Fry your battered sandwiches in a neutral oil until golden brown. Add your toppings and enjoy with tea.

While deep frying is the traditional method, you can skip that step and simply fry your toasts in a pan. You could also get creative and swap out the peanut butter for cream cheese or mascarpone, or play around with the seasonings. Just be sure you're using sweetened condensed milk and not evaporated milk, and let your tastebuds be your guide.