Did you know you can make creamy dulce de leche from condensed milk right in the can? This easy sweet jam recipe is so hands-off it doesn’t even require stirring. Use this sweet caramel milk spread for everything from waffles and toast to ice cream, cakes and candy apples.
1 ingredient, 2-step recipe
If you’ve ever looked up how to make dulce de leche from scratch before, you may have been intimidated.
But today, you are in for a sweet treat, as making dulce de leche from a can of condensed milk is much simpler and hands-off than traditional recipes. You only have to take out the label of a sweetened condensed milk can and boil it for a few hours.
Some eat it with a spoon directly from the container (not that I would know anything about doing something like that!), and it's the most popular in Argentina, where I'm from.
Though it's similar to caramel, the milk component gives it a very different, sweeter flavor. The consistency is also richer and thicker.
If you never tried it, I have several recipes that use it. The most popular is for alfajores (sandwich cookies), but it's also amazing as a filling for chocolate meringue cake, for the best dulce de leche brownies or to drizzle over apple bread pudding.
Also called “caramel milk spread” or “milk jam”, this homemade dulce de leche can be spread on your morning toast or pancakes. If you're bold, stir a little in your coffee. Drizzle it on your waffles, apple slices, ice cream, or all of those at once. The possibilities are many.
From breakfast to dessert, you’ll be living la dulce vida (sweet life) with this easy recipe.
FAQ
It's sweet and toffee-like but with a definite milk undertone. Although it's often associated with caramel, I find it more mellow and without the hint of bitterness. More like butterscotch.
No, it's not. But condensed milk is a few steps short of dulce de leche. Midway through making homemade dulce de leche, you get condensed milk. That's why you can boil the sweetened canned milk for a few more hours and get creamy dulce de leche. The milk jam also has baking soda which accounts for its color.
Uses for dulce de leche
This is not the type of dulce de leche you use for fillings, as it's not thick enough.
- On its own: a spoonful of dulce de leche as dessert is common among fans, especially my father.
- Banana or apple slices: serve them alongside a dollop of dulce de lehce or drizzled on top, and you're in for a treat.
- As a sauce: use it to top vanilla or chocolate ice cream, apple crumble, granola, pancakes, waffles and French toast. If necessary, thin it slightly with water, milk, cream or liquor.
- Toast or regular bread: slather a piece of homemade bread with butter and dulce de leche, and let me know how it goes.
- Old-fashioned desserts: from flan to rice pudding and floating island or bread pudding, dairy-based desserts turn extraordinary when served with this sweet jam.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Label: it may seem simple enough, but make sure you remove the label before placing the can in the pot.
- Be careful when removing the can: they are hot! So use tongs to carefully remove the cans from the hot water when they are finished.
- Let the can cool down before opening. Do not try to open it while it is still hot. If opened too soon, the built-up pressure inside the can may cause the hot dulce de leche to spit out, and the hot caramel milk can burn your skin.
- Variations in color and texture: depending on how long you boil the can, you can customize your dulce de leche to be thicker and darker. I like it between 2 and ½ and 3 hours. Some people prefer a thinner spread and boil it for 2 hours. Experiment and find your sweet spot.
1 ingredient dulce de leche recipe
You need 1 or more cans of sweetened condensed milk and a large pot of boiling water. I add as many cans as the pot can comfortably accommodate. Don't crowd them.
How long should you boil the condensed milk can?
Boil it for no less than 2 hours and no more than 3 hours.
- What happens in that extra hour? It will make the dulce de leche thicker and darker. I boil it for 2 and ½ hours. That's my perfect spot, and I encourage you to find yours.
- Thicker or thinner? If the dulce de leche is at room temperature, it will have thickened (first can from the bottom). The other two have warm and hot dulce de leche, and you can see they're thinner in consistency.
Storing
- Refrigerator: this is the best way to keep dulce de leche and it keeps indefinitely, or pretty much. I never saw a dulce de leche go bad, ever. What does happen is that it will eventually turn grainy due to crystallization and start drying out. But for this to happen, it usually takes months.
- Containers: I like glass jars with tight fitting lids, they are the best way to keep it. Plastic containers also work.
You can, in theory, freeze it. But there's no point since it stores well for so long in the fridge.
One last thing
If you made this recipe and loved it, you can comment below and leave a five-star ⭐️ review. Also, if you had issues, let me know so we can troubleshoot together. I appreciate honest feedback and suggestions.
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Condensed Milk Dulce de Leche (1 ingredient recipe)
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Ingredients
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 14 ounces, or as many as fit in the pot without overcrowding it
Instructions
- Remove the label from 1 can sweetened condensed milk.
- Place the can in a big pot with a lid.
- Cover cans with tap water, making sure the water level is at least 2 inches above the can/s.
- Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to lowest and let simmer for 2 ½ to 3 hours. If the cans are on their side, move them around so they cook evenly. Always check the water covers them.
- Remove from the water and let it cool down completely before opening so it doesn't spatter and you risk burning. Suggestion: if it's your first time and you can boil two or three cans, remove them at different intervals and see what your favorite texture and flavor is.
- To store, transfer to a jar with lid or airtight container and refrigerate.
Janis says
Greetings. So strange I don’t usually shop for these condensed cans but it nagged me and so I got light like diet. And full condensed milk cans. Full condensed works much better left on for three hours. So dark but love it for coffee. So good. I tried all coffee creamers. I turned them all down. Blah. The condensed milk s better I tried all I can find. Thnku