Dulce-De-Leche is the Latin American milk caramel. The name differs from region to region. In Mexico, it is called as Cajeta and is made with goat’s milk, in Venezuela, it is called as Aarequipe, in Spain it is called as Dulce De Leche or Manjar, in Polish cuisine it is called as Kajmak. Whatever the name may be, this spread is so rich and absolutely yum.
Types of making Dulce-De-Leche
There are so many ways to make Dulce de leche. The traditional method is a long one. Whereas there is an ultra easy method using a can of condensed milk heated in a pan of water for one or two hours. And there is one more method, which is in between the traditional method and the easy method. I have posted it in my blog earlier. It is made by boiling a can of condensed milk with milk and brown sugar. It makes it way easier than the traditional method.
Today’s recipe is the traditional one made from scratch. When you compare ti with the condensed milk version, this is far better, very tastier because of the addition of vanilla and cinnamon. It is mildly sweet and very flavourful. And the best thing about the traditional method is, you can customize the thickness of the spread. You can make it thinner or thicker by varying the amount of time it is stirred on stove.
Secret Ingredient for Getting the colour and smoothness
If you have tried reducing milk, then you would know that skin forms easily and when it thickens, you get the coarse mil solids which will give a coarse texture. That too when you work with full fat milk. It really impossible to make a smooth reduced milk out of it. I used to make condensed milk by reducing milk and sugar. And always I end up with a gritty condensed milk which I will blend and then pass through a sieve.
There is one ingredient which will help you get a smooth condensed milk or dulce de leche. It is none other than baking soda. Yes, by adding a little bit of baking soda, your dulce de leche or condensed milk won’t become coarse in texture. And it gets a beautiful caramel like hue which otherwise is impossible to achieve.
You can incorporate Dulce De Leche in many dishes. I made Argentine Dulce De Leche Pancakes and Dulce De Leche Brownies which turend out absolutely amazing. I am planning on a banoffee pie with this batch of Dulce De Leche, but let me see if I can make it.
Dulce-De-Leche Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 litre Full Fat Milk
- 200 gm Sugar
- 1 pod Vanilla
- 1 piece Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed pan, mix together milk, sugar, vanilla pod, baking soda and cinnamon.
- Mix everything well and bring it to boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and keep stirring the mix until it thickens and changes colour.
- It may anywhere between one hour to one and half hours.
- When the mixture becomes thick enough to set on a plate, remove it from flame.
- Pour it immediately into glass jars.
- Allow them to cool down in the jar itself.
- Close lid and refrigerate.
