Dulce de leche

Dulce de leche, also called caramelized milk, is a sweet treat made by heating sugar and milk together. As it heats, it turns into a smooth sauce with a rich, caramel-like flavor.

People often use dulce de leche to add flavor to other sweets. It is commonly used as a topping for ice cream, pancakes, and pastries, or as a filling inside pies and cakes. Its sweet, creamy texture makes it a favorite in many desserts around the world.

The tradition of making dulce de leche goes back many years and is enjoyed in many countries, especially in Latin America. Whether spread on bread, stirred into hot chocolate, or eaten straight from the jar, dulce de leche adds a delightful caramel flavor to many dishes.

Names and similar confections

Spanish dulce de leche and Portuguese doce de leite mean "sweet made of milk". Other names in Spanish include manjar ("delicacy"), arequipe, and leche quemada ("burnt milk"). In Mexico and some Central American countries, dulce de leche made with goat's milk is called 'cajeta'. A famous sweet from Mexico is known as cajeta de Celaya.

In the Philippines, dulce de leche made with carabao (water buffalo) milk is called dulce gatas, and is a specialty of Negros Occidental province.

In French, it is called confiture de lait (milk jam). In France, it is traditional in the regions of Normandy and Savoy, where it is commonly served with fromage blanc or crêpes.

The same sweet is also known as kajmak in Polish cuisine, named after Turkish kaymak, a kind of clotted cream. Kajmak is most commonly used for wafers or the mazurek pie traditionally eaten at Easter.

History

There are many stories about where dulce de leche came from. Some say it started in Indonesia a long time ago, while others think it began in the Philippines. It may have traveled from the Philippines to Spain and then to the Americas. Some fun tales say important people brought it to the Americas.

In Brazil, there are records of a similar sweet from 1773. There are also reports of a sweet being brought into Argentina from Chile in the late 1600s. Since 1998, people in Argentina celebrate International Dulce de Leche Day on October 11.

Preparation

Making dulce de leche is easy. Start by heating milk and sugar together. Stir it almost all the time for about 1.5 to 2 hours. The sugar will dissolve, and the mix will turn a rich brown color.

Sometimes, people add vanilla for flavor. As it cooks, water from the milk goes away. The dulce de leche becomes thick and creamy. Another way is to use canned sweetened condensed milk and cook it in a pressure cooker for 20 to 45 minutes. Wrap the cans or jars well to keep them safe. After it’s done, let the dulce de leche cool. This can take about 2 hours.

The color and texture change because of two reactions called caramelization and the Maillard reaction.

Use

Dulce de leche is tasty on its own, but it is often used as a topping or filling for sweet treats. It is commonly added to cakes like Maria Luisa cake, churros, cookies such as alfajores, waffles, flan cakes (also known as crème caramel), and even fruits like bananas. It also tastes great on crepes, obleas (wafers), and toast, and it makes ice cream even better.