Dulce De Leche is a type of caramel, popular in South America. The name translates to Milk Candy in Spanish.
A few weeks ago, I ran into the recipe of this from one of my favorite food blogs, Cooking For Engineers. Michael Chu has listed a super easy way to make this dulce de leche for easy dessert toppings or candy or however else you're going to enjoy it. All you need is a can of condensed milk, a big bowl, a microwave (power = medium) and a whisk. When I say big bowl, I mean it. The condensed milk expands quite a bit while in the microwave... here are some pictures.
The directions are simple.
1. Empty the contents of the condense milk into the big bowl.
2. Put it in the microwave for 2 minute intervals. After each 2 minute interval take it out and whisk. At this point it may turn from globby to smooth and creamy. After about 10 - 12 minutes (5-6 intervals)... (or more, mine took about 7 or 8 intervals), you'll have a dark globby substance which when whisked will turn back to smooth. By this time you should be able to place it somewhere to cool a bit before cutting or making into small candies.
Be warned, the temps can be quite high even if it doesn't look it, do not touch it right away. I think after my 12 minutes our infrared thermometer was giving a reading of over 230 degrees. If you touch it before it cools down, you will burn yourself. You can also decide to stop it sooner for a much creamier texture for perhaps dessert toppings or the likes.
I tried to spoon them separately onto a cookie sheet. 2 reasons not to do this: 1, it's extremely time consuming, and 2, it's not easy to make a nice candy shape this way.
What I should have done, and will try next time is to let it cool flat in a sheet, and once it's cooled down to room temp, use a knife to cut it into little candy pieces. Next time!
Anyway, pictures always help me.
Here are some of the pictures of how it looks when it's taken out (the intervals), as well as what happens when you whisk it.
Alas, here's the finished product. Small dulce de leche candy. They are quite tasty, when you get past the appearance. ;-)
Next time, I'm going to only do a few intervals and drizzle it into the next ice cream I make. I'm salivating just thinking about it.
Enjoy!
4 comments:
*DROOL*
I've always wanted to make Dulce de Leche... it's so yummy!
Infared thermometer?! Sweet! I want one...
What is the texture of the candy when it is done? Is it easy to cut through with a knife?
By the way, I made the bread you blogged on a couple of weeks ago and it worked just fine in a regular round casserole dish (with lid), so I lost my excuse to go by a new pot ;-)
Emily
Hey Emily,
Glad the bread turned out well for you. :-)
So the Dulce de Leche, can be cut through with a knife. I'd wait for it to be cooled off at least to about room temperature so it stiffens a bit and you can take it off the knife if it sticks. The fridge would make it too cold, and tougher to cut.
The texture will be smooth and soft. I actually took a couple of those candy bites and rolled it up into a thin rod using wax paper, then cut the rod into smaller bits. Worked out well.
Oh and this is the themometer we have (I think)...
Thermometer
I think I may have done one or two intervals past yours (unfortunately I lost count while helping Danny with his homework), as mine came out quite tasty, but the texture of a VERY chewy caramel.
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