SWEET ESSENTIALS: EASY/PEASY DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• The traditional way to make dulce de leche is to use sweet milk (cows not goats), and sugar. You put them into a pan and cook it down until it gets a golden brown and takes on the consistency of caramel. This is how I changed it out... Take a look at sweetened condensed milk... it is composed of milk and sugar So, if you have a can of the stuff hanging about in your pantry, you are almost there.
• You can make this recipe using one of two methods: The Can Method Take the can of sweetened condensed milk and immerse it completely in a pot of simmering water, for 2 or 3 hours. Cooking Notes for the can method: The can must be completely immersed in the simmering water and watched. If the water boils down and exposes the can, it might explode. The Jar Method Place the sweetened condensed milk in a small jar, like a Mason or Wick jar, and immerse in simmering water for 2 or 3 hours. Cooking Notes for the jar method: The jar needs to be heatproof and have a lid. When you add the sweetened condensed milk, loosely put the lid on and the level of the water should be just below the level of the lid. The advantage of the jar method is that when it is finished cooking, it is already in the jar you are going to store it in.
• Weck Jars I love these jars, and you will see them being used in many of my posted recipes. They are food grade glass with a glass lid, then sealed with a rubber gasket and two metal clamps. Plus, they come in all kind of sizes. For this recipe I am putting the sweetened condensed milk in one, and placing the glass top on without the gasket. The other advantage is that you can see the sweetened condensed milk and stop when you see it change to golden brown and thicken like caramel.
• When you buy your sweetened condensed milk, check the ingredients. Certain brands swap out sugar for corn syrup which is not what you want. If the list show sugar and milk, then buy it.
• Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• Fully immerse the can in water or place the glass heatproof jar into a saucepan and bring the water up to a simmer.
• Simmer for 2 - 3 hours or (assuming you are using a glass jar), when the sweet condensed milk turns a yummy golden brown and thickens.
• You will probably need to add water to the saucepan about every 15 minutes, so keep an eye on the pan.
• My dulce de leche took 2.5 hours to cook, but it was worth every minute.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Use to replace some of the butter and sugar in your cookies or cakes. Add to coffee. Mix with mustard, garlic and cayenne to make a fantastic ham glaze. Enjoy
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.