Homemade Dulce De Leche Recipes

HOMEMADE DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Pour two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and set in a roasting pan; add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake at 425 degrees F until thick and dark amber, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until thickened, 1 hour. (Makes about 2 cups.)

HOMEMADE DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Classic menthod:
• Stir together 4 cups milk, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and thickened, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. (After about an hour, stir more often as milk caramelizes, to avoid burning.) Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
• Sweetened condensed milk method:
• Heat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Pour the contents of 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover tightly with foil. Set plate in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up pie plate. Bake milk in middle of oven 45 minutes. Check water level and add additional, if necessary, then continue to bake 45 minutes more, or until milk is thick and brown. Remove pie plate from water bath and cool, uncovered. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

QUICK DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the milk and sugar and cook over medium heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. The mixture will turn the color of peanut shells.

DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• For the stovetop method: Remove the label from the can of sweetened condensed milk. Place 3 to 4 forks upside down on the bottom of a large 6- to 8-quart pot. Place the unopened can on top of the forks and cover with water by a few inches. (The forks help to prevent a vacuum between the bottom of the can and the pot.) Place the pot over high heat until it reaches a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low or low to maintain a steady simmer for about 3 hours. Add more water to the pot if necessary to ensure that the can is submerged at all times. Let the can cool to room temperature in the water before removing. Open the can and scoop out the contents. The dulce de leche should be dark and caramelized.
• For the oven method: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a shallow baking dish in a roasting pan. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the baking dish and cover the dish with foil. Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake until the dulce de leche is dark and caramelized, 60 to 75 minutes, checking the water level occasionally and adding more if needed. Let cool, then whisk until smooth.
• Transfer the dulce de leche to an airtight container, put plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

HOW TO MAKE DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Wash the nail and pound it into the top of can of sweetened condensed milk to make 2 small holes on opposite sides of the top. Remove nail.
• Place the can of condensed milk into a small saucepan and pour in water to reach high up the side of the can. Bring water to a boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer milk in the can for 3 to 4 hours. Milk will slowly turn light to medium brown and become thicker as it cooks. Add more water as it boils down.
• Remove lid from can and pour dulce de leche into a bowl. Whisk to break up any lumps and mix thicker caramel from the bottom into the rest of the syrup.

DULCE DE LECHE (FROM SCRATCH!)

Steps:

• In a large, heavy pan with tall sides (I'd recommend a stock pot), combine the milk and sugar.
• Split the vanilla bean along its length and scrape the seeds into the pot, then throw in the pod. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
• When it has reached a simmer, remove from the heat and add the baking soda and water, stirring vigorously.
• When the mixture settles down, return the pan to the heat and bring to a brisk simmer.
• Simmer for about one hour, or until it turns golden brown. You don't have to stir constantly. I worked around the kitchen and stirred it every once in a while.
• After the milk mixture has changed to a deep golden brown check it more frequently. This is where you can decide just how dense and thick you want it to be.
• If you want it pourable, like caramel sauce, wait just until it reaches the consistency of maple syrup - about 20 minutes after the color change - and take it off the heat.
• Strain through a mesh strainer into a glass jar or container and let cool. To make the ice cream, I removed the amount the recipe called for at this stage.
• If you prefer a jam-like consistency to spread on toast, crackers, and anything else you can think of, let it cook longer.
• To make the candy, keep simmering and stir the mixture constantly.
• Once it's the consistency you want, remove from heat.
• Let it cool a bit and then mold it into whatever shapes you'd like.
• Cool candy on wax paper.

DIY DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Place a can of sweetened condensed milk (with the label removed) on its side in the bottom of a stockpot filled with water. Gently boil 2 hours, replenishing the water as necessary to keep the pot full and the can submerged. (This prevents it from bursting.) Using tongs, transfer the can to a wire rack and let cool completely before opening. Drizzle the caramel over ice cream, or use it as a filling for sandwich cookies. (Leftover dulce de leche can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container and rewarmed in a double boiler or microwave.)

CHOCOTORTA

Steps:

• Heat the whole milk, sugar, baking soda, and pinch of salt in a heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Just before the mixture comes to the boil, reduce the heat to very low, ensuring that the mixture maintains a very gentle simmer (you may need to adjust the heat accordingly). Cook, stirring often, for about 1 hour, in which time the mixture will darken and thicken. From this point, stir the mixture frequently to avoid it catching and burning. Continue stirring for 20-30 minutes, until the mixture is thick and toffee-colored.
• To test if the dulce de leche is ready, place a spoonful on a cold saucer or plate. Allow it to cool and thicken, then run your finger through the centre of the dulce de leche. If the mixture doesn't pool back, it is ready. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.
• Transfer the dulce de leche to a very clean and dry glass jar. It will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
• Lightly grease a 8¾-in springform cake tin and line the base and side with baking paper.
• Place the cream cheese and dulce de leche in a bowl and use electric beaters to beat until well combined. Set aside.
• Whisk the cocoa powder and milk in a bowl, until the cocoa is dissolved. Dip one-third of the biscuits in the cocoa milk for just a few seconds, then transfer to the base of the prepared tin.
• Spread one-third of the dulce de leche mixture over the biscuits, then repeat with two more layers of dipped biscuits and dulce de leche. Set aside in the fridge.
• To make the ganache, place the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. When the cream is warm, but not boiling, remove from the heat and add the chocolate but do not mix or beat. Set aside for 10 minutes, then gently stir until smooth and glossy. Pour the ganache over the chocotorta and return to the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight to set.
• Remove the chocotorta from the tin and gently remove the baking paper. To serve, warm a knife in hot water, then dry and cut the cake into thick slices.