Homemade Dulce de Leche (authentic recipe)
This truly is the best recipe for making dulce de leche scratch, that wonderful sweet milk jam from Argentina, where I'm from. In this post, you'll find the most useful tips ever that were handed down from generations in my family making it.
Servings 1 ½ cups
Ingredients
For regular dulce de leche:
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream optional; I use it because it makes a richer dulce de leche
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- pinch of salt optional
For thicker dulce de leche:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon milk
- 1 cup regular dulce de leche homemade or store-bought
Instructions
For regular dulce de leche:
- Heat 4 cups whole milk (and 3 tablespoons heavy cream if using) over medium heat in a large saucepan with high sides and double or triple bottom.
- Add 1 cup white granulated sugar when it’s warm and mix. Add ½ teaspoon baking soda and stir until it dissolves.
- When it starts to boil, lower the heat to a minimum but keep it simmering.
- Let it reduce, stirring every so often, about an hour, or an hour and a half. This depends on the amount of milk you’re using and the amount of heat.
- It darkens from the bicarbonate and thickens. If you added a plate you can stir once in a while, but it not, you should stir more often.
- At some point, usually an hour from the moment it starts to simmer, it gets quite dark and thickens. At this point, it’s almost ready. Maybe a few minutes more. Make sure you take out the plate and stir constantly during these last moments.
- If you put a little on a plate it will run immediately, be quite liquid. It will thicken a lot as it cools and even more in the refrigerator.
- Remove from the heat, add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and pinch of salt if using, transfer to a bowl and let cool. If you stir over a bowl with ice water it will cool faster and generally makes it creamier because there’s a smaller chance of crystallization.
- Whisk at the end before refrigerating to make it as creamy as possible.
- Fill a jar and keep refrigerated.
For thicker dulce de leche:
- Option 1: Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch and ½ tablespoon milk in a small bowl or cup. Put 1 cup regular dulce de leche in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly, and when the dulce de leche becomes more liquid, add the cornstarch slowly while stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Bring the mixture to a slow boil, stirring all the time. You don't want the mixture to stick. Boil for about 2 minutes, being careful it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan. Check that it has somewhat thickened, but remember it will completely set after it's cooled and refrigerated. Let cool completely and refrigerate for 1 hour before using, or for several weeks in a closed jar.
- Option 2: Melt 50g (3 ½ tablespoons) butter in a medium saucepan. Add a can of condensed milk (400g / 14oz) and 200g (7oz) regular dulce de leche. Stir over low heat until it thickens and let cool before using. Stir over low heat until it thickens and let cool before using.
Notes
Milk - use whole milk for the best results. This is a jam and the richness and fat in regular milk make for a more luscious product.
Cream: It adds even more richness, so I hardly make it without it if I have some at home.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is what you want. I did try it with powdered sugar, but the result is grainy. Brown sugar might work, but sometimes the consistency is not right.
Baking soda: This ingredient is crucial if you want a brown color. Use more for a deeper caramel color and less for a more tea-with-milk type of hue.
Vanilla and salt: These can be categorized as optional, but I think a few drops of vanilla and a small pinch of sea salt deepen the flavor and make this milk jam so much tastier!
Saucepan: it should be deep because the milk, when it boils can creep up quickly and you don't want it to spill, and heavy-bottomed because there's way less possibility of it scorching or sticking.
