Dulce de leche is, simply put, sweetened and caramelized milk that is a favorite flavor in the world of desserts. Thick, sweet, and smooth dulce de leche goes with almost anything: fill snappy shortbread cookies to make alfajores, bake a sweet dulce de leche layer over a chocolate tart crust, or drizzle some over a fluffy cupcake. One of our favorite uses for this caramel-like thickened milk? Homemade, no-bake banoffee pie!
While well-known methods for homemade dulce de leche involve reducing condensed milk over the stove top or submerging a whole can of condensed milk under boiling water, you can safely and simply make a batch on your own with only two main ingredients: milk and sugar.
The most important tip to remember when you get it started is that it must cook low and slow. Also, give it a good stir every 10 to 15 minutes so that nothing gets stuck on the bottom or on the sides of the pan. It may take up a little time but the end result is always very well worth it!
Homemade Dulce de Leche Recipe
Makes: around 1 ½ cups
4 cups full-cream milk
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
Fat pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 In a medium-sized saucepan, stir milk, white sugar, brown sugar, and salt over medium heat. Let the mixture simmer until the sugar melts, then bring the heat down to low.
2 Cook the mixture on low heat for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until you get your desired consistency.
3 Keep in a clean and well-sealed glass jar for up to 1 month.
