dulce de leche

I'm holed up at home due to extremely cold temperatures outside, snow and slush on the ground, and I've just held my first wedding cake consultation and cake tasting for 2012 with the sweetest bride & groom. One of their "tasting" requests was for dulce de leche. Dulce de leche??? No problem!!! You can easily buy it pre-made but it's just as easy (and tastier) if you make it yourself. 


There are a few ways to make dulce de leche, but I really prefer using the oven method. But if you want to try others, check it out here. Again, it's super easy and the outcome is the most caramely-milky-gooey-goodness.....


Dulce de Leche


INGREDIENTS

one 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk ***Please do not confuse yourself and use evaporated milk. It's not the same thing and you'll be very sad.***
pinch of kosher salt


Preheat your oven to 425˚F.


Pour the sweetened condensed milk into an oven-proof dish. I use a glass Pyrex pie pan. Sprinkle with kosher salt and tightly cover it with foil.


Place the covered dish in a larger roasting pan and fill it up with water until it reaches three quarters up the sides of the covered dish to create a water bath. Bake for 60 - 120 minutes checking every 30 minutes on the water level and add more as needed. 


Dulce de leche is ready when it takes on a brown and caramel-like color. Remove from the oven and whisk until smooth. Let cool completely before storing in the frig.

My 10 favorite ways to enjoy dulce de leche:
1. stirred into a cup of coffee
2. drizzled on top of a cappuccino or latte
3. mixed in an iced coffee
4. mixed in hot chocolate
5. sandwiched between two shortbread cookies
6. on toast
7. on pound cake
8. on pancakes/waffles
9. on ice cream
10. or simply with a spoon