# Dulce De Leche



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

I discovered dulce de leche in California. with Jock and his family. They were holding a tasting at Copia when I was there with Jock and his family, and even gave everyone the recipe. I decided to make some just to see if I could recapture the taste of it. Now I’m wondering what to do with it, can I freeze it? How long would it last in the fridge?? What are the best uses for it?


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## joni (Apr 3, 2002)

Isa....straight out of the jar works for me!! Over ice cream is quite good. Would you be willing to post the recipe??? I think the best is Salamander or something like that! Would love to make my own!


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## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

Hi Isa. Having grown up in Venezuela, dulce de leche is one of the flavors/desserts very close to my heart. I make it by boiling cans of condensed milk(the way I was taught). I have frozen my dulce de leche with no problem whatsoever. In the fridge, I've kept it about 1-2 weeks max with plastic wrap touching the surface(so no mold problems). Never seems to last that long---someone usually steals it!


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## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

I guess I'm the last person on earth who hasn't ever even tasted this, yet alone baked it. Any chance you'd walk me thru it Dana? How do you boil the cans, how long? Is there one authentic cake recipe, how can I dress this up, what's it taste like?


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

There's even ice cream out with it now!!! Milk Caramel, thick and rich. 
The condensed milk is boiled for hours. Salamander is about $6 for a 16oz jar....had to look in the fridge. 
It is bloppy thick. I eat it on a spoon or on ice cream, It'd make a great filling for a cake. Or a layer in a pastry....I would use it a layer in a chocolate custard pie....crust, dulce, choco pudding...whipped cream, choco curls, Sounds pretty good.
The bloppiness would need to be worked with, I've not played alot with it since it's just so good on that spoon.


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

we have done it with goats milk, canned condenced milk and just cooking cream and sugar until it's wonderfully caramelized and thick. 

this is great stuff!


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

I believe the authentic recipe is with goat's milk. I'm sure, either way, freezing is not a problem.


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## bradleyo (Jun 24, 2003)

An interesting variation on this is burnt caramel ice-cream. Corby Kumer has an interesting article on this. He characterizes it as "dulce de leche, a recent runaway success for Häagen-Dazs, to the nth degree." I've made his recipe, and it is some amazing stuff.


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## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

Wendy, it's very simple but you just have to be very careful not to open the cans while they are hot. Very dangerous. Just place a pan of condensed milk in a deep pot and cover with water. Boil for 4 hours(simmer) and then remove pot from heat and let the can cool to room temp. Open can and enjoy the best caramelized milk ever. In Caracas we had "obleas" which were like very thin communion wafers(like pizelles) sandwhiched with dulce de leche and also stuffed caramelized crepes.


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## joni (Apr 3, 2002)

Isa...I still would love to get the recipe from Copia to compare if you would share it! Thanks.


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

I made Pierre Herme's creme brulee ice cream and used the boiled condensed milk to swirl into it. good stuff.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

I'm sorry I haven't replied to you sooner Joni but I've been dealing with a very bad episode of arm pain and I wasn't even able to hold the mouse. But finnaly it is over and I am back on my computer.


I can not find Copia's recipe for dulche de leche right n ow but I do remeber how to proceed.

Make a very small hole in a condensed milk can, cover the can thighly with aluminium foil and put in the pan half filled with water. Let it simmer for approximately four hours, adding water when needed. After four hours, remove the can from the pot and remove the lid. It is very important to fix very well as the caramel will be darker in the bottom of the can. 

I recall leaving it on for about 4 1/2 hours. It was medium dark very gooey and so good.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. So far I've used it to make a swirl in vanilla ice cream. 

Angry I love the idea of wafer and caramel....You wouldn't have the recipe by chance? It does remind me of a Belgium made cookie one would put atop a hot cup of coffee or cocoa and the caramel inside the wafer would start melting....


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

stroopwafels! Good stuff, Isa!


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Yes that's it Momo. Thank you!


How about a dulce de leche cheesecake? Anyone every tried it and has a recipe to share?


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## mike (Jan 24, 2003)

You boil cans of condensed milk for 3 hours keep topping up with water & dont open cans. Let cool & scoop out . It doesnt then need to be cooked anymore & is the base of banoffe pie.
if you want some ideas go to www.leathams plc which is the uk distributor & my old workplace


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## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

I found it on the shelf at a Mier store, in the Spanish section. 


It goes with Breyers vanilla ice cream rather well!


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## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

I just made some and it's just soooo good. I'm going to use it as a filling for cookies.


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## kthull (Oct 9, 2002)

Great thread...I had to go out and get some condensed milk to test it too. Amazing stuff. And none of the neighbors believed me when I told them how to make it. :lips: 

Wendy, I bet it's good with Breyers...mine didn't quite make it that long.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

It goes quite well with everything. At first I didn't think I'd eat it but one little lick every so often makes you develoop a taste for it.....


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## khlim (Aug 5, 2004)

Having tasted it once, its excellent. Any idea how do make an authentic Dulce de leche?


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## mike (Jan 24, 2003)

I dont think its that different from the toffee base used for banoffee pie...get a few tins of condensed milk & cover with boiling water...( & keep covered & keep topping up regularly) for about 3 hours....Be warned...the odd can has been known to explode !!!!....so keep a lid on the pot....

Let cool completely & presto you have dulche lette for a fraction of the price.

I used to work as an account manager for the UK agents of this product & they were big time suckers...so pleased to offer an inexpensive solution hehe... :chef:


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## lmg (Aug 8, 2004)

I don't have the recipe with me - but I just substituted dulce de leche for caramel in a caramel cheesecake recipe. Have made it a couple of times to rave reviews. 

Make sure you boil the can for at least 4 hours to get the intense dulce de leche flavor. I grew up in Colombia and we used to drink "agua de panela" - basically a caramelly raw sugar water with lime. So I added a bit of lime juice to the cheesecake - seems to draw out the flavors.


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## oli (Aug 31, 2001)

How about using chocolate condensed milk, how would that taste?


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## wizcat3 (Jun 4, 2003)

This sounds great! BUT it makes me real nervous to boil/simmer a closed can for 3-4 hours. Is there another way. Like in a bain marie with a tight lid on it? I want to try this . W


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## chefcarolyn (Jul 20, 2004)

I've made the dulce de leche sauce by pouring the condensed milk into a sauce pan and cooking over low heat for about 45 minutes (just watch very very carefully and stir a lot!). Its great over an anise pound cake.


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## kaylinda (Jul 30, 2004)

Since I have never heard of this, let alone tried it....could anyone tell me if you could use homemade condensed milk as we never buy the cans we make it ourselves. Perhaps put it in a small jar? Thanks!


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## kaylinda (Jul 30, 2004)

Couldn't wait for an answer...had to try it.
We used a marshmallow creme jar and put in our home-made condensed milk.
Cooked for 4 hours. (In a jar I could watch it turn colors.) It was just like caramel. Is this what it's suppose to be like?


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## zukerig (Sep 23, 2004)

In Mexico, this caramelized milk is called "cajeta" and is sold in jars at the supermarket. It can be purchased from an online vendor And, yes, authentically, it is made from goat's milk & sugar!

I have made two versions of this very popular & delicious dessert - but for both of them I simply mix the three milks together, without reducing the mixture almost to the consistency of toffee. In the first recipe, I combine sweetened condensed milk with half-and-half, evaporated milk, sour cream, and vanilla. This mixture is poured over a 10-inch round génoise cake and allowed to soak for 12 hours. Then, the cake is turned upside down, sliced, and garnished with whipped cream & fruit. (Mexican cooks occasionally cover it with meringue prior to plating it for service.)

*Pastel de Tres Leche* is actually native to Nicaragua, but it is also very prevalent on menus in the Dominican Republic, where it has been adapted to the tastes of the Dominicans. Influenced by the Dominican version, I make a rich cake from 1 lb. EACH butter & granulated sugar, 10 whole eggs, 1½ lbs. cake flour, ½ oz. EACH baking powder & vanilla extract, and 1 cup orange juice. The cake is baked in a ceramic bowl, perforated while slightly warm, and soaked with the triple-milk concoction (sometimes spiked with brandy).

Further to the topic of Mexican desserts, I recommend that you bake & enjoy: _Capirotoda_ (bread pudding) & _Huevos Realas_ -- "Royal Eggs," originally a Spanish dish that has been embraced by Mexican cuisine as its own.


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