Anything with caramel on top and we're sold. But give us the deep flavorful richness of dulce de leche and we're complete goners.
When we don't feel like making the long version of dulce de leche, we like to make this shortcut version instead:
Ice Cream Topping: Shortcut Dulce de Leche
Here's what you do:
Take one can sweetened condensed milk. Remove the wrapper. Put it in a pot. Cover it with water. Boil for an hour or two. Presto chango, dulce de leche!
If we know we're having ice cream for dessert, we put it on the stove when we start prepping dinner. By the time we're done eating, the sauce is ready to be poured and enjoyed.
One hour gives you a sweeter, more liquidy sauce. Two hours gives a thicker sauce with deeper caramel flavors.
The only caveat here is to keep an eye on the water level. You want to make sure that the can is always covered by water, or else it will heat unevenly and create pressure spots that could cause the can to explode. Set the timer to go off every 30 minutes to remind you to check on it.
If the word "explode" made you back away, we've also heard that you can pour the uncooked sweetened condensed milk into a glass dish and microwave it with the same results. If you try this version, we suggest microwaving in five minute intervals and stirring the milk in between.
What do you like to do with dulce de leche?
Related: Good Question: How Do I Make Chewy Caramels?
(Image: Flickr member Pinot & Dita licensed under Creative Commons)
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Easy, Tips & Techniques, Ingredients - Pantry, Best Lick 2008, caramel, dulce de leche, shortcut recipe, sweetened condensed milkRelated Links
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you can also buy i it in a squeeze bottle at some stores.
view mascarah's profile
We call this "danger pudding" for good reason.
view joyosity's profile
Someone told me how to do this about 6 years ago, but I've been too afraid to try it - yes for fear of explosion.
view Plaid Ninja's profile
how likely is it to explode? this is a perfect mix in for a recipe of ice cream i am working on today but i am a bit scared. has anyone had one explode?
www.organicandnaturalmom.blogspot.com
view luv2cook's profile
I just tried doing the long version this weekend...and I now have a kind of candy goo in the fridge. It tastes great, I think it just got a little too hot. All the more reason to finally go out and buy a candy thermometer, I guess...
The explosion fear is why I haven't tried this method. I'd like to try David Lebovitz's version, which uses condensed milk but out of the can and in the oven: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2005/11/dulce_de_lechec.html
view SexyAnteater's profile
I've heard pouring the condensed milk into a crock pot works, too, no fears of exploding.
view Tiamat_the_Red's profile
I don't know about it exploding, but I've done it and it works so great. I found a german chocolate cake recipe on epicurious that recommends it and it made the most amazing frosting. It's not hard to check it occasionally and keep the water level up. The timer is a good idea.
view twylag's profile
I've tried David Lebovitz' version of cooking it in the oven, yummy! It never made it into the brownie recipe I was going to use it for.
view RJD's profile
This works out so well. I learned to do this when "banoffee pie" was introduced to me many years ago. It's wonderful on everything.
Nestle caught on and sells dulce de leche in cans too. I've never bothered to buy it, but it's probably just their condensed milk pressure cooked.
view verily's profile
YUM- That photo is killing me!
view annamaria's profile
i have made it before and it has never exploded. it just tasted fantastic!
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view cassiopia's profile
i have done this, on low heat there was no sign of impending explosion. we used as a pie filler - basically by itself. holy crap, now i have to go make that. thanks!
view akostalas's profile
i've done this about a dozen times and it works great! i've always used it to make chocolate turtles for christmas presents but this is a fabulous idea.. with ice cream! yum.
view gleek's profile
How easy can it get! And how great does this sound. I can't wait to tell my friends on wheresmydamnanswer.
I found you through stumble upon, and love your blog!
view karenmw's profile
this was my South African father-in-law's extra-special afterschool treat when he was just a kid. He popped it on the stove when he got home, hit the books, and by the time his homework was done, so was his treat.
view beckerjess's profile
Do you have to wait any specific length of time after cooking it before opening the can? I would be afraid that this is when the exploding might happen...
I spent some time in Chile where this is called manjar; it's delicious on pancakes/crepes, apples, or on your finger!
view OM83's profile
... or just buy some dulce de leche. It's in the hispanic foods aisle and comes in a can. I've made it from sweetened condensed milk just like you advised and it was good but the dulce de leche in the can tastes exactly the same without having to spend all that time and energy. (I live out in the very homogeneous boonies and even we have dulce de leche in the cans. I'm sure whole foods or other fancy stores would have it as well.)
view themonkrat's profile
I tried the microwave method and ended up with a somewhat grainy dulce de leche...even after putting it through a mesh strainer, and then attempting to whisk out the lumps while heating on low heat on the stove. Anyone else have this problem? Any tips for how to smooth out the dulce?
view Brittan's profile