Dulce de Leche

[Pookie]

I tried this last night. No explosions and it tastes great! I do wonder if I left it for too long though because it's really thick. I may have to get out the mixer and give it a good whip tonight with a little milk to thin it down to a more pourable state.

I have to admit to being nervous though. I spent the whole time it was in the kitchen in the furthest part of the house!

[andiesenji]

Hello I am interested in making dulce from scratch(not with condensed milk) I am planning on using goats milk and putting it in a mason jar and then in the immersion circulator for 10-12 hours or until it achieves ther right color and consistence. My question is the recipes I have seen include baking powder or soda I believe, does anyone know what this contributes to the final product?

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Sorry that I didn't see your post earlier:

Here is an authentic Mexican recipe as made by Mrs. Obregon, my neighbor, who loves her slow-cooker which she says is muy sympatico.

DULCE DE LECHE - SLOW COOKER

1 Mexican (or other) vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 cups regular goat milk, do not use low fat

2 cups regular milk

1 2/3 cups cane sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

dissolved in

¼ cup water

Mix the milk together in a quart measure.

Pour 3 cups of the milk (refrigerate the remaining cup) into the slow cooker and add the vanilla bean and sugar and turn heat control to high and mix with a whisk to make sure the sugar has dissolved.

As soon as the mixtue has warmed to about 140 degrees, add the water with the baking soda and whisk again.

Do not cover the cooker.

Continue cooking for about 8 hours, gently stirring about every 2 hours.

Remove the vanilla bean, wash it and set it aside to dry and stick it into your sugar canister to flavor the sugar.

Meanwhile, with a silicone high temp spatula, scrape down the crust that has formed on the sides and stir it into the mixture.

If foam forms do not remove it, simply stir down into the mixture.

Reduce the temperature to medium and continued cooking. Stir occasionally, about every 15-20 minutes until the mixture has thickened, it should pour like honey.

This should take about 2 hours.

Near the end of this time, warm the remaining cup of milk in a small saucepan then stir into the mixture in the slow cooker. Mix well and transfer to a sterilized quart jar and place the cap lightly on the jar, do not seal.

Allow it to cool to room temperature then tighten cap and refrigerate.

It will keep for three months in the refrigerator.

P.S. I have added this to RecipeGullet

Edited February 25, 2006 by andiesenji (log)

[Soup]

Saw this on "ham on the street" where you make dulche de leche from a can of sweeten condense milk by simmering the can in water for 3 hours.

I did a search on the web and different recipe provide conflicting info. First on the can, should it be covered in water? Does the can get a hole at the top to let the pressure out (yes to this make the previous question moot, I know)? Does it really have to go for 3 hours (one recipe called for 6 hours)? Any way to shorten the time? That is a long time for my family to wait for a dessert?

Recipe and guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Soup

[orangewasabi]

Hi,

this really does work well

cover the can with water -- no hole in the can

boil, ensure the water stays covering the can (I do it for more than 2 hours -- I like it pretty thick and brown)

let it cool, THEN open the can

(personally, I do a couple cans at once and just boil it while I am doing laundry and other schtuff)

It tastes realllly good.

[KatieLoeb]

Saw this on "ham on the street" where you make dulche de leche from a can of sweeten condense milk by simmering the can in water for 3 hours. 

I did a search on the web and different recipe provide conflicting info.  First on the can, should it be covered in water?  Does the can get a hole at the top to let the pressure out (yes to this make the previous question moot, I know)?  Does it really have to go for 3 hours (one recipe called for 6 hours)?   Any way to shorten the time?  That is a long time for my family to wait for a dessert?

Recipe and guidance would be greatly appreciated. 

Soup

←

You need to make it ahead of time anyway, because the cans have to cool down so you can open them and not have a hot sticky explosion on your hands.

The good news is it keeps on the shelf already made, so you can boil several cans at once and always have it at the ready.

edited to add:

orangewasabi and I cross-posted the same info.

[Nina C.]

My Chilean friend taught me to make it this way. Put a tea towel, folded in the bottom of the pot. Place can on tea towel, and fill the pot with water, covering the can completely. Simmer. The longer you simmer, the darker and thicker the caramel will get. I've done it for as little as probably an hour and a half, or as long as 4 hours - never 6.

My American mother used to have coniptions to see me putting her dish towels and a can on the stove (I think she thought the can would blow up) but she changed her tune when she tasted the results.

[Soup]

So, Can will not explode? Great. Lets say I make a bunch ahead of time. I am then assuming the contents are shelf stable and I can put it back in the pantry for a few months?

I'm surprised that the manufactures don't sell the stuff already made. I can't wait to give it a try.

[Ann_T]

I'm guessing that it is possible for the can to explode since Eagle Brand recommends not heating an unopened can. They provide a couple of other methods on their website.

Eagle Brand Condensed Milk

Ann

[Nina C.]

So, Can will not explode?  Great.  Lets say I make a bunch ahead of time.  I am then assuming the contents are shelf stable and I can put it back in the pantry for a few months?

I'm surprised that the manufactures don't sell the stuff already made.  I can't wait to give it a try.

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Um - disclaimer - I have not personally had a can explode, nor do I know of anyone who has. That doesn't mean it won't! But I do cover the can fully with water and make sure it stays that way.

They do sell the stuff already made - look for dulce de leche, manjar or cajeta. Even smuckers makes a version now - no idea how good it is.

[godito]

Simmer. The longer you simmer, the darker and thicker the caramel will get. I've done it for as little as probably an hour and a half, or as long as 4 hours - never 6.

yeah, that's how I ususally do it. I don't let it simmer for more than a couple of hours, as I don't like it so thick.

They do sell the stuff already made - look for dulce de leche, manjar or cajeta. Even smuckers makes a version now - no idea how good it is

Right on! However I did have some trouble finding it in many places while living in the states. Latin American markets should carry it. Of course, they are not made starting with condensed milk. They are done the traditional way: reduce milk with sugar whisking constantly until it turns dark and rich. They they add some flavorings (like vanilla... I add a little rum to mine ) I like this method better. Of course, here in South America, there's no need to do it, as you can find tasty store bought alternatives.

[zephyrus]

I have had the best luck with dulce de leche by taking one can of sweetened condensed milk, one can of evaporated milk, a vanilla bean and a few cinnamon sticks, combining all of them and simmering over low heat for about 30 minutes. continue stirring the entire time and remove from the stove when the mixture develops the consistency of soft caramel. i have found the flavor to be superior to the simmer in the can method...

casey

[Yasmine Sandhu]

I've had great success with the following method from David Lebovitz.

It's very simple and not too scary either.

Just remember to properly whisk up the condensed milk after it comes out of the oven for that lovely and luscious consistency.

[FistFullaRoux]

The operative term here is "simmer". Not boil. Boiling raises the internal temperature to 212, which causes steam. Steam make things go boom.

Simmering at a lower temperature takes longer, but it is safe, as long as you do not reach the boiling point. It's really almost more like poaching. The goal is to caramelize the sugars in the condensed milk. The only way to do that in a sealed can is to slowly raise the internal temp to less than 212, then slowly allow the can (and it's contents) to return to room temp before opening. The pressure will be regulated by that.

Sealed cans are heated all the time, just at the factory under highly controlled conditions. The tea towel as listed above gives you a buffer zone so the water is heating the can not the bottom of the pot in contact with the flame/element.

I just thought of something. Could you do this in a crock pot? If it has a low enough setting, you wouldn't even have to use a burner on the stove. Methinks research is in order...

[Toliver]

I think the crock pot method was mentioned in a past Dulce de Leche thread but don't quote me on that.

"eGullet search page with past discussions on Dulce de Leche"

[andiesenji]

I posted a recipe I got from my neighbor and it is delicious. It is far more complex in flavor than the sweetened condensed milk stuff.

I took some to an eGullet potluck a couple of years ago and everyone who tasted it thought it was great.

Dulce de Leche from scratch.

[JEB9]

You can also use the microwave. Pour a can or two in a pyrex pie dish and microwave on low power (30-40%) for fifteen minutes. Stir. Microwave again on low power for another 10-15 minutes. Stir. Microwave again for 10 minutes and stir occasionally as it cools. It might be a bit lumpy at first, but as your stir it will smooth out and get perfectly luscious. This method is fast and pretty foolproof. And not at all scary.

[Anna N]

So a good friend gave me a can of home-made ddl and I would like to open it and serve it tonight over home-made vanilla bean ice cream. Do I just open it, transfer it to a serving dish and offer it along with the ice cream? Do I heat it at all? Once I open the can, how long will the ddl keep?

[Toliver]

I posted a recipe I got from my neighbor and it is delicious.  It is far more complex in flavor than the sweetened condensed milk stuff.

I took some to an eGullet potluck a couple of years ago and everyone who tasted it thought it was great.

Dulce de Leche from scratch.

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Thanks for posting this, Andie! The crockpot method sounded familiar to me.

But what if you don't have access to the goat milk the recipe calls for? Can you use regular milk instead? I know it won't taste the same...

[Patrick S]

The operative term here is "simmer". Not boil. Boiling raises the internal temperature to 212, which causes steam. Steam make things go boom. Simmering at a lower temperature takes longer, but it is safe, as long as you do not reach the boiling point.

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I may be misunderstanding you here, but the boiling point of sweetened condensed milk is going to be a bit higher than the 212F water in the water bath, for at least two reasons. First, the addition of sugar (SCM is about 40% sugar) causes a boiling-point elevation (boiling points always raise when more solute is added to a solution). Second, as the content of the can heats up, the pressure inside increases, and the increased pressure also causes a boiling-point elevation. I'm pretty sure therefore that its not possible to bring sweetened condensed milk to a boil in a water bath. A simmer will be safer than a boil, but only because the pressure inside the can is going to be proportional to the temperature of its contents, and the lower the pressure, the lower the risk that the container will fail.

Edited October 11, 2006 by Patrick S (log)

[DragonflyDesserts]

so what are all the uses for dulche de leche. I'd like to use it in my cake shop but don't know exactly how its used in desserts....something authentic mexican.

THanks!

[Jaymes]

so what are all the uses for dulche de leche. I'd like to use it in my cake shop but don't know exactly how its used in desserts....something authentic mexican.

Generally speaking, instead of 'dulce de leche,' Mexicans use cajeta and they usually just buy it rather than making it from scratch.

I see you're in Nebraska, but don't know where, so don't know if you can find authentic Mexican cajeta where you are. It's a VERY popular Mexican item, so if you have any Mexican markets at all, they should carry it. It even comes in squeeze bottles, handy for drizzling over pound cake, or ice cream, or sliced apples, or bananas, or spread on toast, or served in a chafing dish for caramel fondue, or heated and ladled over dessert crepes. Look for 'Coronado' brand. It's the most readily available in the US.

And here's a recipe I got from a Mexican friend. It's for a very spectacular and delicious 'special occasion' cake.

You can either use your favorite chocolate cake recipe, or a packaged cake mix, depending upon how much time you have, personal preference, etc.

Chocolate Flan Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix, or 1 batch of your favorite chocolate cake recipe

1 10.9-oz jar cajeta (pref Coronado brand, or other good, authentic, goat's milk brand)

Flan:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

½ C whole fresh milk

1 large can evap milk

8-oz cream cheese, room temp

1 tsp good-quality vanilla

5 eggs

¼ cup sugar

Preheat oven 350. Prepare chocolate cake batter, either from favorite recipe, or from a boxed chocolate cake mix.

Soften cajeta in microwave and pour into large greased bundt pan. Pour prepared cake batter into pan.

Prepare flan: Pour flan ingredients into blender or food processor. Mix well. Pour flan very slowly and evenly over cake batter. Flan will sink through batter. Cover pan tightly with foil. Set bundt pan into larger pan, set on oven rack and slide in. Carefully pour hot water into larger pan to depth of 2". Bake about 2 hours. Remove cake from water and cool 15 minutes. Invert cake quickly onto LARGE platter, and slowly and carefully remove pan. Cajeta will drip down sides of cake.

Edited October 12, 2006 by Jaymes (log)

[andiesenji]

I posted a recipe I got from my neighbor and it is delicious.  It is far more complex in flavor than the sweetened condensed milk stuff.

I took some to an eGullet potluck a couple of years ago and everyone who tasted it thought it was great.

Dulce de Leche from scratch.

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Thanks for posting this, Andie! The crockpot method sounded familiar to me.

But what if you don't have access to the goat milk the recipe calls for? Can you use regular milk instead? I know it won't taste the same...

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Sure. You can use any kind of milk. Cajeta is traditionally made with 100% goat milk. I happen to like the flavor with half and half, but many people use only cow's milk. A friend who raises sheep for their milk makes it with ewe's milk. I have tasted it and it is very good also.

I have seen and tasted one batch that was made using powdered whole milk, which is not easy to find. It was okay but I wouldn't make it on purpose if fresh milk was available.

[Sentiamo]

I know of someone who DID have a can of condensed milk explode whilst she was out of the house. Silly girl...she allowed it to boil practically dry! Do not leave the can/s unattended, ensure they are always covered with simmering water and all should be well.

We are fortunate here in New Zealand as we can buy the stuff in cans already caramelised these days. Still, we had fun as nurses putting our cans into the sterilisers when on night duty years ago.

[iii_bake]

I simmer the can in Le Creuset Ducth oven, the steam is well sealed and the water does not evaporate. So i do not have to worry about the water drying out.

I have a question on the taste of it though.

I simmered for 4 -5 hours.. very thick...BUT the milk taste a bit sour!!!!

Does this make sense?

I need this for the banoffi pie etc...what should be the right consistency.

It should be quite thick, isn't it?...so that you can cut the pie neatly without theDDL oozing out.

Please advice.

Thanks

iii

[andiesenji]

It should never be sour. The uncooked sweetened condensed milk is extremely sweet to begin with and never sour at all. Was the can damaged? Dented? The seam damaged?