Homemade Dulce de Leche
Dulce de leche is a rich, caramel-like confection used as a decadent topping, filling, and flavoring for a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes. While it can be enjoyed simply by the spoonful, it is a staple ingredient in desserts throughout Latin America and beyond.
There are several ways people make Dulce de Leche. The most popular one is to put a can of sweetened condensed milk, cover it with water and cook for several hours. It is important to keep the can covered with water or it could explode.
The two recipes below take two different approaches to making Dulce de Leche.
Ways in which Dulce de Leche is used:
Dessert ingredient
As a filling: Used to fill sandwich cookies like alfajores, cakes (like torta Maria Luisa), cupcakes, and pastries. It's also a popular filling for churros and crepes.
For baking: It can be swirled into brownie or cheesecake batters, or mixed into buttercream frosting for cakes and cupcakes. It is also the main flavoring in some pies, such as banoffee pie and apple pie.
Layered in desserts: In Uruguay, it is used with peaches and meringue to make the layered cake chajá. In Argentina, it's used with chocolate wafers to make the no-bake dessert chocotorta.
In other sweets: It is used as a base for ice cream, incorporated into milkshakes, and mixed with cream cheese to make a sweet fruit dip.
Topping and spread
For breakfast: Dulce de leche can be spread on toast, pancakes, or waffles as a sweeter alternative to jam. It can also be stirred into oatmeal or yogurt.
On ice cream: It is a classic topping for vanilla ice cream, and pairs well with other toppings like roasted pineapple.
For dipping: It makes a great dip for fruit like bananas and apples, as well as crunchy pretzels.
In beverages
Sweetened coffee and hot chocolate: It can be stirred into hot beverages for a caramel-milk flavor.
Ice coffee: For a cold treat, mix dulce de leche with milk and cold-brew coffee.
Dulce de Leche (Fast and Easy)
from https://tastyrecollections.com/
This fast and easy method delivers a delicious homemade dulce de leche in only 15 minutes, and the best part is, it requires no pressure cooker, slow cooker, or any special equipment! Sure, there’s the traditional way my grandmother used to make it – cooking milk and sugar on the stovetop, stirring constantly for what felt like an eternity. The results were undoubtedly great, but who has the luxury of spending two hours straight in the kitchen these days?
Since this recipe requires only three simple ingredients, I highly recommend splurging on good-quality condensed milk. It will undoubtedly make a difference in your final result.
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 can of Condensed milk:
200ml Whipping cream
Before you start, take your whipping cream out of the fridge and warm it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. It doesn’t need to be hot—just not ice-cold. This will help prevent the sugar from hardening or clumping when the cream hits the pan, and it’ll mix in much more smoothly.
Add the sugar to a medium sized pot over medium heat. There’s no need to stir initially. Just patiently allow the sugar to melt- this will take a couple of minutes. At first, it might seem like nothing is happening, but soon it will start to melt.
Once at least half of the sugar has melted, start slowly stirring it. It should take about 5 minutes for the sugar to completely dissolve, becoming entirely transparent or translucent and taking on a light amber/caramel color.
Once it reaches this point, very slowly introduce a couple of drops of whipping cream to the pot while continuously stirring. Drip a little more and stir again. Continue this process until all the whipping cream is added. Expect a sizzling and bubbling reaction when the whipping cream is added – completely normal.
When adding the whipping cream, be patient and pour it in slowly. Rapid pouring can cause the caramel to cool too quickly, leading to hardening. In other words, instead of a smooth dulce de leche, you will have a bunch of little sugar rocks. Best results are achieved with a gradual and very slow pour.
After the whipping cream has been completely incorporated, gradually add the condensed milk to the mixture while maintaining a constant stir.
Keep stirring the mixture without a pause. It will start to bubble, foam, and rise a bit. Keep stirring. As you continue, you’ll notice the mixture thickening slightly. Keep going until you can drag your spoon through and see the bottom. When it falls back in thick ribbons, you’re done. One reviewer commented "keep in mind that it becomes more consistent as it cools down so don’t overcook it or it will be rock solid."
Always remember, as it cools down, Dulce de Leche becomes more consistent. You’re not aiming for your ideal consistency on the stove; you’re trying to remove it before it gets there. Overcooking may result in dulce de leche without a creamy and spreadable texture, so it’s important not to overcook.
Transfer the dulce de leche to a bowl to cool down.
12 servings
Pro Tips:
1. Once your sugar has melted and taken on a light amber tone, it’s crucial to move on to the next step. Even if you prefer a darker dulce de leche, resist the temptation to to make it very dark. The caramel will naturally darken as the recipe unfolds, and if it starts too dark, there’s a risk it may taste burnt by the end.
2: When adding the whipping cream, be patient and pour it in slowly. Rapid pouring can cause the caramel to cool too quickly, leading to hardening. In other words, instead of a smooth dulce de leche, you will have a bunch of little sugar rocks. Best results are achieved with a gradual and very slow pour.
3: Always remember, as it cools down, Dulce de Leche becomes more consistent. You’re not aiming for your ideal consistency on the stove; you’re trying to remove it before it gets there. Overcooking may result in dulce de leche without a creamy and spreadable texture, so it’s important not to overcook.
4. This recipe provides instructions for achieving a spreadable consistency for dulce de leche. However, you can easily tailor the cooking time to match your preferred consistency. Keep a watchful eye, as this is a rapid recipe where every minute counts! Adjusting the cooking time allows you to customize the texture of it to suit your taste perfectly.
Dulce de Leche or Confiture de Lait
from https://www.davidlebovitz.com/
Be sure you use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk, which has no sugar and won't work the same.
One 14 ounce can (400g) sweetened condensed milk
pinch kosher or sea salt
Preheat the oven to 425° F (220° C).
Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a glass pie plate or shallow baking dish. Stir in the salt.
Set the pie plate within a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, and add hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the pie plate.
Cover the pie plate snugly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. (Check a few times during baking and add more water to the roasting pan as necessary). Once the Dulce de Leche is nicely browned and caramelized, remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, whisk until smooth.
4 servings
