Not too many moons ago I tweeted about my curiosity about dulce de leche (dool-say deh lay-chay) to which people oohed, aahed and gushed about how delicious a treat it is and their favorite way of using it. I wondered how something as simple as condensed milk could be transformed to such a tasty caramel sauce, with just a little heat and a lot of time. I had read about it being super easy to make; simply plonk the can of condensed milk in a vessel of simmering water or microwave it (in a non-metallic bowl, of course) for 10-15 minutes, and there you have it. When I did make it, I was stunned by the results. From being just condensed milk, it had metamorphosed into a thick, creamy and rich dessert in its own right. I remember the first time I had it – I ate it by the spoonful straight from the jar and before I knew it, I was more than halfway through the jar, maybe with a little fed to my clothes. Sure, it can be used in cakes, as a topping for muffins and ice creams, spread over bread and cookies or swirled into brownies but on its own Dulce de Leche is pretty darn addictive.
Dulce de Leche is a rich, milk-based caramel sauce. Now, Dulce de Leche is available packaged in bottles, but nothing compares to the richness and density of homemade Dulce de Leche.
Last night I made Dulce de Leche again, but this time around instead of opening the can up and letting it simmer in a water bath I immersed the entire can in water for 3 hours. I did risk an explosion (caused by the pressure built up in the can) but I found this to be a lot better because this way curiosity couldn’t get the better of me since there was nothing to check! Plus, when the can is completely immersed, you can get rid of the rattling sound the can would make when half immersed in water. Of course, I tired this method just this one time (I promise!). I recommend that you always pierce 2 or 3 holes at the top of the can or keep the can partially open while it simmers in a water bath. If you still want to give the first method a shot then make sure not to open the can immediately, else you just might have some hot Dulce de Leche in your face.
Dulce de Leche
1 can of condensed milk (mine weighed 400g or a little under 1 pound)
Water
- Either pierce two holes at the top of the can or with a can opener, open the can half way. No need to pull the lid back.
- Place the can in a deep sauce pan and fill the pan with water just until 3/4th of the can is immersed and simmer over low heat, 3-4 hours (I say 3-4 hours because that depends on how thick you want the dulce de leche to be – here I have simmered the can in water for 3 hours, but if you’d like it thicker, by all means continue simmering).
- Keep an eye on the the water level, making sure to refill the water and maintain the level. After the 3-4 hours, turn off the heat and let the can cool.
- Remove the lid and serve or use as desired.
Variation: Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg or half a vanilla bean to the dulce de leche to heighten the flavour! Oh and even a sprinkle of sea salt.
If you’ve got gallons of milk at hand then you might want to try this method of reducing the milk. And if you’re in a hurry, you can try the microwave method (aka cookingforengineers method!).
Some Recipes that use Dulce De Leche as an ingredient or topping:Dulce De Leche Cake with Vanilla Bean
Cinnamon Sugar Churros
Crispy Apple Crumble
Paratha, Puff Pastry, Palmiers
Chocolate Brownies
{ 123 comments… read them below or add one }
This is just so tasty I like to have mine plain – right off the spoon!
My boyfriend’s grandmother grew up in Argentina and always relates how her family used to make Dulce de Leche every week by boiling the can unopened and covered in water. Apparently it never exploded for them but I have to admit I am still a little frightened of the idea. Thanks for posting a recipe with the can open – I think I’ll finally get around to making it with this safer method. Thanks!
wow! i always disregarded recipes with dulce de leche because it sounded complex to make… now i know how simple it is!
The correct pronunciation of “dulce de leche” is [dool-seh DEH leh-cheh], not [duh]. In Spanish, there are only pure vowels, unlike in English. That means the “e” ALWAYS has an “eh” sound (sounds like short “ay” sound, but not as twangy or diphthong-like).
I plan to try this out very soon. Thanks!
You’ve got the basis for a great british dessert right there, namely banofi pie.
Nestle Company already sells this one so you don’t have to worry about any kind of explosion.
OHH I saw this on cafe johnsonia and I actually dreamed about making it! I was a skeptic with the closed can thing but this is a gr8 idea. Thanks.
Sarah: Now that I know your boyfriend’s grandmother made it without opening the can I feel tempted to stick to this method. Hehe
Carolyn: Super simple – give it a go!
Memoria: Perfect, thanks! Made the correction.
Anon 1: Banofee pie!! I’ve had that on my mind now. I must give it a go sometime soon.
Anon2: We don’t get ready made Dulce de Leche here in Bombay, but I’m quite happy making my own!
Looks soo delicious..m yet to make my own..will try soon
Anon 2, you might as well buy readymade cakes and meals, then, wouldn’t you? I hear there are bakeries and restaurants that sell food.
can it be made with condensed lowfat milk?
Arjwiz: Look at you, being so protective.
Anon 3: I haven’t tried it with low fat condensed milk, but long as the condensed milk has sugar, I don’t see why it can’t be made use of.
Totally agree with you…this is absolutely, sinfully delicious. I have made this just 4 times, always immersing it fully in water, without piercing any holes…the tin hasn’t exploded, touchwood!
I have read about this method. You used Milkmaid?
I’ve always dreamt of making my own…but it’s the 3 hours on the simmer that keeps me away. Maybe one day…you are tempting me a LOT!
Yum! When I was a kid we lived in Argentina and we could get multiple different brands of dulce de leche at the grocery store . . . we all ate it with a spoon straight out of the can! What I can get here in NYC, even in the Latin stores, doesn’t even compare! Maybe I should try to make my own and see if it’s better . . . thanks for the idea!
microwave?! can?!
OH SHI-
OH MY!!! I can’t stop starring at that first pic. I really have to make some of this soon! You must be wondering when it’s going to explode in that 3 hrs..
Aparna: I used Amul, but milkmaid should work perfectly as well.
Deeba: Try it!
Ivete: I’d travel to Argentina just to taste authentic Dulce de leche.
Anon 4: yes, microwave!
pigpigscorner: i forgot that it was simmering away! my mom had to keep reminding me to refill the pan with water. I was too busy tweeting away. LOL
Sinfully delicious,had no idea its soo easy to make,gonna for next time I buy the condensed milk:)
were from puerto rico but we have colombian friends that stayed with us for a while and made it with the can submerged in water and that’s how we’ve always made it and the can has never blown up. weve been doing it for several years now.
It will blow up if you put it in the microwave without puncturing though.
Oh wow temting and luscious…..
we always plonked it into a preassure cooker pot
it went well with ice cream or as filling for cake good to know that you can now just use the microwave for it
My grandmom did this with a pressure cooker every time. She would use this as a filling for empanadas.
That looks so good and easy! I will definitely have to try that. Thanks for the tips.
Microwave a metal can?! The lightshow should be sweet indeed…
bright and shiny: Good to know it works out okay when submerged in water, but metal in microwave? I think not.
neu shen: the pressure cooker method sounds effective, and I’m guessing it’d take lesser time as well.
Anon 5: emapanada fillingggg!! ohh my now you’ve got me dreaming.
Anon 6: You bet, the fireworks would be quite a show. For the record, I DO NOT recommend microwaving the can.
remove it in a glass bowl instead.
YUM! That looks delicious – I could just eat it from the can, but I’ve always been too scared to try this, for risk of an explosion (or me eating the entire can I guess!)
Katie: Heheh, I have tucked my can to the back of the fridge only because I’m scared I won’t stop eating!
My mom made it using the boiling-whole-can method for years before I ever heard about the dangers.
I tried it one time with the holes poked in the top of the can. It wasn’t quite as good because it wasn’t completely dulce-de-leched at the end. The milk closer to the top was still much like sweetened condensed milk, while the milk at the bottom was very thick.
I wonder how many cases of exploding cans there have actually been.
Anyway, great post, your dulce de leche looks wonderful
Ooooooh yum — I LOVE dulce de leche!!! In Argentina they call it “milk jam”
I love making delce de leche! I use this same method. I make 3 cans at a time, and put it into a graham cracker crust, and have a pie out of it! yum!
Dulce de leche is delicious. I have weirdly enough never made it using condensed milk (’cause I have always been scared of the can exploding), but have made it from scratch using milk – which takes forever!
I love dulche de leche! This is the best and easiest way of making it!
Cheers,
Rosa
My mother had a can explode once, when the water evaporated. I quit making it this way and bought the jar from a Latin american store
I make it without opening the can. Just make sure the can is always submerged.
oh, thank you for the post! I did not know that this is such a simple way to prepare it.
I have done this for years, before and after they invented those rip-tab cans. Never even considered poking a hole in the can, and never had an explosion or other similar mishap. The can can lie on its side for that matter.
This is better than any other use of condensed milk, and requires no fancy uses. Just eat it.
Looks soooo good!
this is something my family has done for as long as i can remember..I’m 33…so quite some time. my mom always told me as long as the can was completely covered with water it wouldn’t explode. just keep an eye on it. about an hour does the trick. personally after i make it, it goes straight to the fridge unopened over night.
I always boil the whole sealed can for 3 hours. Defo makes the best caramel for banoffee pie.
Betty: You bet. I don't have to think of what to pair it with; simply lick it off the spoon.
Cakelaw: I really want to make it from scratch someday. I can imagine how satisfying that would be!
Thanks all for your dulce de leche stories. I am convinced that I can continue to use this method without being too without being too worried
)
This is the basis of O'Charley's caramel pie. O'Charley's is a restaurant in the south. They make the caramel by boiling cans of cendensed milk for 3 hours. Then they pour it into a graham cracker crust, top it with Cool Whip and either drizzle chocolate sauce over it or shred a chuck of dark chocolate candy bar over it. Mmmm.
That's it! I have got to try a pie with dulce de leche!
When I was little we would do it when we were camping. We would just put the can in the fire – in the ashes and leave it there for a while. It's the greatest treat.
I've always done it in a crock pot
OMG the can in fire sounds dangerous!
In Texas we use this to make millionaires candy.
TEXAS MILLIONAIRES CANDY
1 can condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 bar paraffin wax
Chopped pecans
On first day boil milk (keep covered with water) for 3 hours. After 3 hours remove can, let cool. Refrigerate overnight.
Second Day: Open both ends of can and push out. Break off pieces of caramelized milk and roll in chopped pecans. In double boiler melt chocolate chips and wax. Dip balls in chocolate mixture. Set on wax paper to cool.
CarolAnn, thank you so much for sharing your candy recipe here
hey shaheen, this is kavita from aamchi mumbai …. i showed my son ur website with the dulce de leche recipe and he insisted he wanted to try it right away … luckily, we had a can of milkmaid at home … we were too impatient to wait until it stewed for 3 hours …. so we nuked it … i set the micro for 15 mins (in a glass bowl, ofcourse)…. and kept an eye on it just in case it looked ready in 10 …. but by 9 mins,…. i thought if i didnt rescue it, it would've charred beyond redemption …. altho' the caramelized remains were yummy enough for us to eat blazing hot… i was disappointed it didnt turn out creamy and gooey like ur pic … does the texture differ in a micro ? …… maybe i'll just try the next time for 5 mins ….. wot do u say ?
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