Boas Comidas

Glossário Culinário

Lactose

Conceito

Também chamado de
milk sugar

Lactose is the natural sugar found in milk and dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, butter, heavy cream and condensed milk. It occurs in cow, goat and buffalo milk. In the kitchen, lactose contributes the sweetish taste of milk and the golden color of baked goods, since it reacts to heat together with proteins in recipes like puddings, cakes and milk breads. People with intolerance produce little lactase, the enzyme that digests this sugar, and therefore look for adapted versions of everyday recipes.

Characteristics

Lactose is most abundant in fluid milk and fresh dairy, such as ricotta, white cheeses and regular yogurts, and lower in butter and aged cheeses, since part of it is lost in processing and maturation. Lactose-free products go through a process in which the lactase enzyme already breaks down this sugar, keeping flavor and texture close to the original. Coconut, oat and almond plant-based drinks contain no lactose, as they use no animal milk. Reading the label is the safest path, since lactose can show up in sausages, chocolate drinks and ready mixes.

Uses in the kitchen

  • Creamy sweets: puddings, brigadeiros and mousses rely on milk and condensed milk for creaminess.
  • Lactose-free versions: swapping in lactose-free milk and condensed milk keeps the recipe almost identical to the original.
  • Vegan recipes: with nothing of animal origin, they are naturally lactose-free and serve those with intolerance well.
  • Cheeses and fillings: in pies and savory pastries, aged cheeses and lactose-free cream cheese do well in the oven.

Substitutions

  • Cow milk for lactose-free milk or coconut, oat or almond plant-based drinks.
  • Regular condensed milk for a lactose-free or coconut-based plant version.
  • Butter for dairy-free margarine, vegetable oils or olive oil, depending on the dish.
  • Heavy cream for lactose-free cream or coconut cream in sweets and mousses.

Fun facts

  • Well-aged cheeses, like Parmesan, go through long maturation and are usually better tolerated by people with mild intolerance, but tolerance varies from person to person.
  • Coconut and passion fruit vegan mousses and ice creams are a hit for being creamy without any milk.
  • At parties, vegan and lactose-free sweets expand the table and serve guests with different restrictions all at once.

Recipes with lactose

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