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You are here: Home / Recipes / Christmas / DULCE DE LECHE

DULCE DE LECHE

December 17, 2011 By Manu 40 Comments

Dulce de Leche

My husband has a very sweet tooth… and he LOVES condensed milk and everything made with it.  I must admit that I instead don’t usually like overly sweet desserts… but I have a weakness for anything caramel.  A few years ago, in Palenque – Mexico, we had a fantastic dinner in a restaurant called La Selva and our dessert was a dish called Crepas de cajeta: crêpes with “cajeta”, which is the Mexican name for Dulce de Leche.  We both loved it and never forgot about it!  And here I am, finally making Dulce de Leche at home!  It is the easiest recipe ever!  In fact, it is not even a recipe per se… it has only 1 ingredient: sweetened condensed milk!  There are a few methods to make Dulce de Leche at home.  I chose the stove method as I liked the idea of having my final Dulce de Leche in its own tin and in the end it did look really cute!  Just make sure the tins are covered at ALL TIMES with boiling water or they may explode!  Other than that, you only need a little patience and in about 4 hours you will have your Dulce de Leche!  I gifted this to some friends as part of a Christmas home-made goodie present!

Ingredient:
Canned sweetened condensed milk

Remove all the paper labels from the tins of condensed milk and place them in a big pot filled with water.  Just make sure that the water is always at least 5 cm (2 inches) above the top of the tins.

Put the pot on the fire and bring to a boil, then lower the flame and simmer for 3 to 4 hours (adding boiling water if you have to).  The longer you simmer it, the thicker the consistency of the final Dulce de Leche.

Then, remove the tins with some pincers (they will be very hot!) and let them cool down for 1 hour before opening.  And there you have… your Dulce de Leche!

Dulce de Leche

It can be enjoyed by itself or as a component of other sweets (you can make ice cream, use it as a caramel sauce, fill cookies or macarons, cakes or eat it on bread as a spread… anything you fancy!).

Dulce de Leche

Dulce de Leche

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Related Posts:

  • Traditional Dulce de Leche
  • Salted Caramel Gelato #SundaySupper
  • Molten Dulce de Leche Cakes
  • DULCE DE LECHE MACARONS
  • SALTED CARAMEL MACARONS

Filed Under: Christmas, Desserts, DIY, Snack, Tea Time Tagged With: cajeta, caramel, condensed milk, desserts, dulce de leche, sweets

« CHAR SIU AND CHAR SIU BAO
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES »

Comments

  1. Veronica Gantley says

    December 17, 2011 at 11:34 pm

    Oh my goodness!!!!!
    I have a recipe that has Dulce de Leche in it. I looked at all the Spanish stores in my area and could not find it. Now, I can make my own! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I will be shocked if this little gem does not make the top 9. I am gladly buzzing it!

    Reply
    • Nat says

      December 18, 2011 at 11:02 pm

      You won´t find it at the spanish stores! You gotta find a store that sells Argentine goods and there for sure you will find dulce de leche. it´s what we, argentinians do best! 🙂

      Reply
  2. easyfoodsmith says

    December 18, 2011 at 1:17 am

    How I wish I could flick off that spoon and lick it clean 😉
    This looks worth the time spent on making it.

    Reply
  3. Eva kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com says

    December 18, 2011 at 2:22 am

    Mu mom used to make this rich caramel sauce for a wonderful cookie; I got the leftovers in the can. YUM!

    Reply
  4. [email protected] says

    December 18, 2011 at 5:58 am

    Mmmmmm. I make this often and I have to admit that my favorite thing to do with it is hide it in a jar in the back of the fridge and snag a spoonful every once in a while hehe

    Reply
  5. Hester @ Alchemy in the Kitchen says

    December 18, 2011 at 7:00 am

    Love that gorgeous caramel ribbon, Manu. Beautifully styled! I turn to Duche de Leche for lazy Banoffee Pie. Lovely idea for a gift.

    Reply
  6. Sandra's Easy Cooking says

    December 18, 2011 at 7:15 am

    Lovely idea, and it does look very very delicious and tempting!!!

    Reply
  7. Mi Vida en un Dulce says

    December 18, 2011 at 11:37 am

    Dulce de Leche in “Peruvian” is Manjarblanco (white delicacy), it’s funny how in Spanish we call it in different ways.
    Now, I have to admit that my favorite one is the one made with condensed milk, as yours, even the traditional is made with fresh milk and sugar, and in a very big copper pot you have to move, and to move, and to move with a wodden spoon until it is made. Ther is no way I will make one like this.

    Reply
  8. Alyssa says

    December 18, 2011 at 7:04 pm

    Love this! I’ve heard of making caramel like this before but have always been too scared that I would blow the top off the can to try it. This looks great!

    Reply
  9. Nat says

    December 18, 2011 at 11:06 pm

    My aunt used to make it from scratch with regular milk and sugar and it was amazing! This is a 21st century way! LOL! here, most cakes have a dulce de leche filling and that is one of the things I missed the most when I was living overseas.

    Reply
  10. Beth Michelle says

    December 19, 2011 at 4:19 am

    I had no idea this is how to make dulce de leche. I am SO happy you posted this. Cannot wait to try it

    Reply
  11. Simply Tia says

    December 19, 2011 at 4:20 am

    I have one question: Do I just put the condensed milk can unopened in a pot of boiling water and cover the pot with its lid? I know this may cause you to repeat yourself but I really want to make some and want to do it the right way.

    Reply
    • Manu says

      December 19, 2011 at 7:17 am

      Hi Tia! Yes, just put the can unopened in a big pot and cover it with water. Make sure the can is AT ALL TIME submerged in water… you may have to add some water along the way. This will ensure that it does not explode. 🙂 You can also leave the pot without the lid… I put it on but left it partially open for some steam to come out. The key is not letting the water evaporate. Enjoy your Dulce de leche and let me know how you go! 🙂

      Reply
      • Simply Tia says

        December 19, 2011 at 7:27 am

        Thank you so much! Will be making some this week and will link your post on my blog. I’ll definitely let you know how it goes. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Very helpful!

        Reply
  12. mjskit says

    December 19, 2011 at 7:47 am

    YEARS ago a guy I worked with that had a HUGE sweet tooth said that he use to boil cans of sweetened condensed milk in water for about an hour, refrigerate overnight and eat like pudding. Therefore, I am totally AMAZED by this recipe! It turns the light chocolate because you cook it for so long? My problem is that it would never make it into cookies or cakes – I’d eat it right out of the can. 🙂

    Reply
  13. [email protected] says

    December 19, 2011 at 2:45 pm

    I made this recipe a while back, and I’ve gotta say, it is easy and sweet. The thing is though, it’s much sweeter than home made or commercially prepared dulce de leche, which is creamier and richer.

    I probably won’t make it again, especially as I just found a tiny packet (like you get of butter or jam in a hotel breakfast) in the bottom of my backpack I took to Argentina! Mmmmm…

    Reply
  14. Nisa Homey says

    December 19, 2011 at 3:55 pm

    OMG!! I am trying these ASAP.

    Reply
  15. muppy says

    December 19, 2011 at 9:55 pm

    YUM!!!! i love caramel too, and with crepes would be perfect 🙂

    Reply
  16. Adie Andrews says

    December 20, 2011 at 12:46 am

    I can’t believe that this is such a piece of cake and from what you described at the end it will taste like a caramel sauce milk – totally yummy in my opinion. Thanks for that foody inspiration.
    Greets Olympic 2012 Accommodations

    Reply
  17. Giulietta | Alterkitchen says

    December 20, 2011 at 8:45 am

    I made it, too, but in a totally different way! Maybe I’ll post it, sooner or later 🙂

    Reply
  18. Divya says

    December 20, 2011 at 9:00 am

    Oh my! I didn’t realize how easy it was to make dulce de leche at home! Thanks for sharing and of course of the step by step instructions. You may cooking look like a breeze.

    Reply
  19. [email protected] The Littlest Anchovy says

    December 20, 2011 at 9:37 am

    Yum! I have always wanted to do this and you have shown me a fantastic method! Can’t wait to make this and eat it with salt sprinkled on top!

    Reply
  20. Sandra says

    December 21, 2011 at 8:20 am

    To just eat it from the can would be heavenly!

    Reply
  21. Lyn says

    December 21, 2011 at 8:31 am

    This is really the simplest and easiest to make a yummy sauce/toppings for any desserts! 😀

    Reply
  22. Becker says

    December 22, 2011 at 1:30 pm

    I made this, and it tastes fabulous, but it is very thick. Yours looks like it runs nice and smoothly off the spoon. How do I thin it without ruining it? Do I use water or milk?

    Reply
    • Manu says

      December 22, 2011 at 1:35 pm

      Hi! I have never thinned it, so I am not sure. I would not add water… I think it may split. Try to smooth it out by whipping it with an electric beater. If that doesn’t work, maybe, add a spoonful of warm milk and keep whipping. Let me know! 🙂

      Reply
  23. Kiri W. says

    December 24, 2011 at 7:30 pm

    Yourhusband is a lucky man! I adore dulce de leche, and just the consistency of yours makes me swoon!

    Reply
  24. Deeps @ Naughty Curry says

    December 26, 2011 at 3:40 pm

    oh my… it looks so decadently delecious. i had no idea its this easy!

    Reply
  25. Adele Forbes says

    December 27, 2011 at 1:21 pm

    I love it……you write beautifully and I look forward to viewing your entire blog…

    Reply
  26. mcee says

    January 11, 2012 at 6:30 am

    Hi Manu, I’ve been reading your blogs and getting a lot of good advises on how to cook stuff. I’ve tried making something like this, but, apparently, the cream at the bottom of the can is not the same texture as the one on top. I used this as an icing for my chiffon cake. I was wondering on what to do with it to make the texture even. And how would I know if it is ready?

    Reply
    • Manu says

      January 11, 2012 at 8:05 am

      Hi! 🙂 Mine came out quite even… the bottom part was just slightly thicker and I just mixed it well to get it even. If your dulce was very different in texture, it may have something to do with the pot you used for cooking it. Make sure it has a very thick and heavy bottom, so the heat gets evenly distributed. Also, cook it on a low flame (it has to just simmer). I cooked mine for 4 hours, but you can cook it anywhere between 3 (if you need it thinner) to 5 or 6 (if you need it thicker). Let me know how it goes! 🙂

      Reply
  27. Camilo says

    June 21, 2014 at 2:22 am

    Hi because you are in Australia, if I have to do dulce de leche I use the one from ALDI (imported from Netherlands), Nestle etc they use to make it in Australia but I think all brands in 2014 are manufactured in obscure places sometimes, and I preferred the ALDI taste.
    I only use condensed milk in extreme cases or when I am very short of time but nothing replace the real thing, it is only milk, sugar, vanilla and bicarbonate of soda, and 2 hours of your time, the video it is in spanish (well argentinian than it is spanish with italian flavour) but with your italian I am sure you can understand
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvljIeotkAY

    Today it is my first day in your blog and I love what I read so far but the more important sentence from you is ” I have always been amazed by the “distortions” in many Italian dishes.” and my reaction was to rei molto. You can extend the distortions to most cousine of the world in Australia and some are a joke.

    And being near winter in Melbourne I am going back to the planing to make salumi (Coppa, Pancetta, Lardo, Speck, Cantimpalo, Kielbasa, etc) in the next few days. If you do not know the taste of cantimpano the best place in Sydney is http://www.rodriguezbros.com.au and I do not know any in Sydney doing polish cold smoked salumi like Kielbasa.

    And been the day than it is forza azzurri.

    Reply
  28. Polona says

    September 22, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    Hi Manu,

    first of all I would like to tell you that I like your blog a lot!! Today I found your Dulce De Leche recipe, but unfortunately in my country the do not sell condensed milk in tins… so could you please tell me another way to make it? Thanks a lot! Polona

    Reply
    • Manu says

      September 22, 2014 at 8:56 pm

      Hi Polona!
      Thanks so much for your comment! There are many different ways to make Dulce de Leche… look at this link: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Dulce-De-Leche You can easily make Dulce de Leche on the stove using a pot. Let me know! 🙂

      Reply
      • Polona says

        September 22, 2014 at 9:10 pm

        Hi Manu,

        thank you so much for really quick response 🙂 I think I am going to try second method..will let you know, how it turned out 🙂

        Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Dulce De Leche « IamSimplyTia says:
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  5. Traditional Dulce de Leche says:
    October 11, 2018 at 7:53 pm

    […] shared with you a quicker version to make Dulce de Leche from a tin of condensed milk (click here for that recipe). However, I must confess that I liked the taste of this traditional version more […]

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