Dulce de leche
Dulce de leche is a thick, golden caramel spread made by slowly cooking milk and sugar until it reduces and caramelizes. It is silky and deeply sweet and is spread on bread, stuffed into cookies and swirled into ice cream.
DulceDeLeche: audinou from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Dulce de leche is beloved across Argentina, Uruguay and much of Latin America, where it is a pantry staple. Similar spreads go by other names such as manjar and arequipe.
Explore the cuisine of Argentina, Uruguay.
Recipe
Make Dulce de leche at home
Ingredients
- 8 cups whole milk
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
How it's made
- Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla and salt in a wide heavy pot.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the baking soda.
- Cook on low heat, stirring often, for about 2 hours.
- As it darkens and thickens, stir constantly until it coats a spoon and leaves a trail on the bottom of the pot.
- Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Pour into a jar and chill; it thickens further as it cools.
Variations
- Cajeta: made with goat milk in Mexico.
- Quick version: simmer a sealed can of condensed milk in water.
Cook’s tip: Stir frequently near the end because the milk can scorch quickly on the bottom of the pot.
Related dishes
AlfajorDesserts and sweets · Argentina
ChurrosDesserts and sweets · Spain
FlanDesserts and sweets · Spain
Tres leches cakeDesserts and sweets · Mexico
TiramisuDesserts and sweets · Italy
About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- DulceDeLeche: audinou from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)