🌎 Latin American recipesDessert
Dulce de Leche
By Groceree
Also known as Doce de Leite · Manjar
Milk and sugar cooked slowly for hours with a pinch of bicarbonate and vanilla until it thickens into a glossy, deep caramel. Spread on toast, filled into alfajores and eaten by the spoonful across Argentina and Uruguay.
Last updated
- Servings
- Makes about 900 g
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 2 h 30 min
- Total
- 2 h 35 min
Ingredients
whole milk2 l
caster sugar400 g
bicarbonate of soda½ tsp- vanilla pod1
salt1 pinch
Instructions
- 01
Split the lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Put the , the and the vanilla seeds and in a large, heavy pan and heat, stirring, until the dissolves.
- 02
Stir in the — it will foam — then bring to a gentle simmer.
- 03
Cook uncovered over low heat for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring every 10 minutes, and more often towards the end.
- 04
As it reduces, it turns golden, then caramel brown, and thickens.
- 05
It is ready when thick, glossy and a spoonful holds its shape on a cold plate.
- 06
Remove the , add the , and pour into sterilised jars. It thickens further as it cools.
Notes
- The bicarbonate helps it brown and keeps it smooth rather than grainy.
- Stir constantly at the end — it catches easily once thick.
- Simmering a sealed tin of condensed milk is a shortcut, but keep the tin fully under water the whole time, topping up with boiling water as needed, and let it cool completely before opening, or it can burst. The homemade version tastes fresher.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 4 g
Estimated from the ingredients.
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