The dulce de leche (pronounced "dulse de lece", meaning sweet of milk) has a consistency similar to that of a syrup and a taste similar to caramel. It is a widely used ingredient by pastry chefs all over South America that you can easily prepare at home to enhance your desserts. Most recipes tell you to cook the condensed milk in boiling water or in the oven until it turns into a syrup. Alternatively, you can use regular milk combined with sugar.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Boil the Condensed Milk
Step 1. Peel the label off a can of sweetened condensed milk
Look for pre-sweetened condensed milk in the dessert ingredients section of the supermarket. Once at home, peel off the paper label and remove the glue by rubbing the can with a wet abrasive sponge.
- Read the wording on the label carefully. Make sure it's sweetened condensed milk and not evaporated milk (or unsweetened condensed milk), otherwise it won't turn into dulce de leche.
- Buy one or more cans, depending on the amount of dulce de leche you want to make.
Step 2. Place the can in a pot and submerge it with water
Place the can in the center of the pot, then add enough water to submerge it at least 5cm. Make sure the pot is high enough to allow you to completely submerge the vertically placed can.
- Do not fill the pot to the brim, otherwise the boiling water may overflow.
- If the size of the pot allows, you can boil more than one can of condensed milk at a time.
- The water temperature is irrelevant. If you want to speed things up, use hot water so it boils faster.
Step 3. Heat the water over high heat
Turn on the stove and wait for the water to boil. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat so it simmers gently.
Step 4. Let the condensed milk simmer for 2-3 hours
When the water has reached a boil, reduce the heat to low. Make sure the water is simmering gently and let the condensed milk cook for 2-3 hours, depending on the result you want to achieve.
The dulce de leche will gradually become darker and denser. For a clear dulce de leche, remove the can from the water after 2 hours. If you prefer it darker, let it simmer for up to 3 hours
Step 5. Remove the can from the water using kitchen tongs
When the condensed milk has boiled long enough, take it out of the water with the help of a pair of kitchen tongs. The cooking process will stop and you will have got exactly the dulce de leche you wanted.
Step 6. Wait until the can is completely cold before opening it
After taking it out of the water, place it somewhere safe in the kitchen and let it cool for a long time. It may take several hours for it to reach room temperature.
- Do not try to open the can while it is still hot. The contents will be under pressure, so if you try to open it ahead of time, the dulce de leche could come out strongly and burn you.
- When you open the can, the dulce de leche should have a thick, syrup-like consistency, which makes it easy to pour and dose.
Step 7. You can store the sealed can at room temperature for up to 3 months
Once ready, the dulce de leche will keep good for up to 3 months inside the closed can. Store it in the pantry at room temperature and use it whenever you want.
If you have opened the can, you can pour the dulce de leche into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks
Method 2 of 3: Bake Condensed Milk in the Oven
Step 1. Pour the condensed milk into a square dish (20x20cm)
Open the can and pour the contents into a glass dish. Level the dulce del leche with a spoon or spatula.
You can use more than one can if you wish, as long as the pan is not filled to the brim to prevent condensed milk from overflowing
Step 2. Cover the dish with aluminum foil
Make sure it's completely sealed (use two sheets of aluminum foil if necessary). Fold the paper under the edges of the pan to make sure it doesn't rise as the condensed milk cooks.
Step 3. Place the dish in the center of a larger dish
The second dish must be able to easily contain the one with the condensed milk and must have high edges, since it must be filled with water.
For a 20x20 cm baking dish, use another one that is at least 25x30 cm large
Step 4. Add water to the largest dish
The water level must reach three quarters of the small pan. When the water starts to boil, it will dissolve the sugar contained in the condensed milk.
The water temperature is irrelevant. If you want to speed it up, use it hot so it boils faster
Step 5. Cook the condensed milk at 220 ° C for 90 minutes
Place the pan in the oven and monitor the water level while the condensed milk cooks. If the level goes down, add more water using a jug.
If you are concerned about spilling the water while transferring the dish to the oven, you can place it in the oven empty and add the water later using a pitcher
Step 6. Remove the pan from the oven to mix the milk
After 90 minutes, the condensed milk should be ready to turn into dulce de leche. Complete the transformation by removing the foil cover and stirring with a spoon and spatula to break up the solid pieces and mix them with the syrup.
- The dulce de leche must have a thick consistency, similar to that of a syrup, and a color similar to caramel.
- If you prefer, you can pour the dulce de leche into the blender and blend it to break up the solid pieces and blend them perfectly into the syrup.
Step 7. You can keep the dulce de leche in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks
If you don't intend to use it right away, you can pour it into an airtight container or glass jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Method 3 of 3: Making Dulce de Leche with Normal Milk
Step 1. Pour 1 liter of whole milk into a saucepan
Use a large saucepan to prevent the milk from overflowing as it boils. Using a liter of milk you will get about 250 g of dulce de leche (you can increase or decrease the quantities according to your needs).
You can use different varieties of milk to get different flavors, for example goat milk has a more intense flavor, while coconut milk is also suitable for vegans
Step 2. Add the sugar
The amount of sugar can vary from 100 to 180 g according to your taste. For a not very sweet dulce de leche use 100 g of sugar, while if you prefer it very sweet add up to 180 g. The first time you can use an intermediate amount of sugar and modify it on subsequent occasions according to your preferences.
If you wish, you can flavor the dulce de leche with vanilla. You can use the seeds from a fresh pod or 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of extract
Step 3. Heat the milk over medium heat, stirring constantly
Turn on the stove and gently stir the milk until the sugar has dissolved completely.
When the sugar has dissolved completely, you can add a tip of a teaspoon (5 g) of baking soda to prevent the milk from clotting. This is an optional step but recommended, as it improves the consistency of the dulce de leche
Step 4. Let the milk boil for 90-120 minutes, stirring it regularly
After the sugar has dissolved, let the milk boil over medium heat. You will need to mix it at regular intervals to prevent it from burning.
- The milk will gradually reduce and begin to change color slowly passing from white to caramel. At that point you will know that the dulce de leche is almost ready.
- The cooking time required may vary depending on the desired result. The more you let it cook, the thicker and darker the dulce de leche will become. If you prefer it a lighter shade, turn off the heat after 90 minutes. If, on the other hand, you prefer it very thick and dark, let it cook for up to 2 hours.
Step 5. Remove the pot from the heat and let the dulce de leche cool
Move the pot to a cold surface and stir the dulce de leche one last time as it cools.
- Using normal milk instead of condensed milk, it is likely that solid pieces will be more solid when cooked. This is completely normal: the dulce de leche will still have a consistency similar to that of a syrup.
- If you wish, you can filter the dulce de leche using a colander, but this is an optional step since the presence of the solid pieces does not affect its flavor.
Step 6. Transfer the dulce de leche to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator
If you don't intend to consume it right away, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Pour it into an airtight container or glass jar and place it in the refrigerator. If you store it properly, it will keep fresh for about 3 weeks.
