HOME COOKING: Homemade Dulce de Leche
Dulce de leche, that divine Latin American caramel, isn’t hard to make; it just takes a bit of attention. Most recipes begin with a can of sweetened condensed milk. Rest assured, this is entirely authentic. There are five ways to make it: in the can, in a pressure cooker, in a saucepan, in the oven, or in a microwave.
The classic in-the-can method is simple: Place an unopened can (or do a few at once) of sweetened condensed milk in a pot, well covered with water, and bring the water to a boil. Keep at a low boil for two to three hours, making sure the water level always stays above the top of the can (if the can isn’t submerged, it may explode). The longer it cooks, the thicker the dulce de leche will be; after two hours, you’ll be able to drizzle it, and after three hours, it will be thick enough to sandwich cookies. Make sure the can is thoroughly cool before you open it.
You can use a pressure cooker for a faster variation on the in-the-can method with no worries about water level: Submerge the can completely in the water and pressure-cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
To make it in a saucepan: Pour the condensed milk in a saucepan and cook it over low heat, stirring fairly constantly until the milk achieves the consistency you want. Another option is to make Mexican goat’s milk cajeta, which has a unique tang and is made from goat’s milk and sugar.
In the oven: Pour the condensed milk in a shallow baking dish, cover with foil, and bake in a water bath at 350 degrees, stirring every 20 or 30 minutes for a couple of hours or until the consistency seems right. Whisk it when it’s done to get any lumps out.
In the microwave: Pour the condensed milk in a bowl that can hold at least twice the volume of the milk. Microwave in five-minute intervals, stirring each time, and watch carefully, as it will foam up as it cooks. Cook to desired consistency.
Board Links: How do I make Dulce De Leche out of condensed milk
Canned condensed milk morphs into Dulce de Leche
Posted by
| Thursday, August 2, 2007 at 5:37pm
| 9 comments
Tagged with: home cooking
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In the Chowhound Boards
Alton Brown has a Dulce de Leche recipe sans condensed milk, in case anyone is interested:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...
IMHO, the best Dulce de Leche version (by far) is the Cajeta that hails from the town of Celaya in the state of Guanajuato.
> Goat Milk not Cow Milk
> Real Sugar
> Cooked slow in a Clay sauce pan
Que rico...dulce de leche is, and has always been, one of my very favorite substances on earth. I do confess to always using the in-the-can method...I've tried other classic methods and since the results many times have been identical (i.e., bain marie in the oven) I figured...what the hay, boil the can. I am intrigued by the the version recommended above from Guanajuato...must keep it in mind. I am proud to have turned countless gringa friends onto dulce de leche through the years. I recently served it to a crowd at home with dip-your-own strawberries and delicate buttery European cookies...the room was hushed with awe...til the sugar kicked in!
I have successfully used a technique borrowed from "the Surreal Gourmet", Bob Blumer. Low on effort -- high on time commitment -- I used a partially submerged bain-marie style and cooked two vented tins in boiling water for 5-6 hours. Once the cans were fully opened and about 1/2 cm of uncooked milk was poured off, the underlying substance was one of the most divine things I have ever eaten. Served with fresh strawberries, bananas and star-fruit, I actually had grown men and women cleaning their bowls out with their finger tips.
Interestingly, I recently opened a can of organic sweetened condensed milk that had been in my pantry for about 8 months. I was surprised to find that it had solidified and caramelized to a pudding consistency! At first, there was shocked because I had never seen such a thing, but being the intrepid chef I am I dipped a spoon into the goo and tasted. Lovely caramel! Now, I do live in Phoenix, Arizona where the summertime heat is excessive and the air is devoid of moisture. Perhaps the 8+ month age of the can was the ultimate in slow cooking?
LOL! I was just telling a New Yorker on the phone last night when he asked about Phoenix that in the summer you can literally cook an egg on the sidewalk!
I read an article about Starbucks using dulce de leche in their coffees. Now I can't wait to try and make some! I have to burn wood in the winter, so I'm wondering if on a wintery day off I could boil it and then move it to the wood stove to simmer all day. :D I'll let y'all know how it turns out.
I read an article about Starbucks using dulce de leche in their coffees. Now I can't wait to try and make some! I have to burn wood in the winter, so I'm wondering if on a wintery day off I could boil it and then move it to the wood stove to simmer all day. :D I'll let y'all know how it turns out.
oops! sorry about that guys.
I did it! I got it boiling then transferred it to the top of my wood stove. I used a can of low fat sweetened condensed milk I've had in the pantry forever. Left it simmering all day - I was home and had the fire going anyway. It's great!
I put some in coffee and it didn't really sweeten it like I thought it would.
Ah, well, I'll do some searching and figure out what else I can do with it. I saw on foodnetwork.com a recipe for banana & chocolate (with nutella) crepes - some dulce de leche drizzled with that..... (*eyes crossed*) Ooooo!