Sous Vide Dulce de Leche Recipe (2024)

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Written by Jason Logsdon

Caramel is Pam McKinstry's (of SVKitchen.com) favorite thing, especially combined with chocolate, but she likes it unadulterated, too, in all of its many forms.

Dulce de leche, Spanish for “sweet milk,” is on her list of must-have condiments. Pam always has a jar or two in her over-crowded fridge because it’s very versatile and great for last-minute desserts. Sometimes she'll treat herself with a spoonful right from the jar if there's nothing else on hand to satisfy a sudden caramel craving.

Gourmet specialty shops generally stock dulce de leche (it's fairly trendy these days), but it tends to be expensive. Ethnic markets also sell canned dulce de leche, but Pam finds this product exceptionally flat tasting, lacking the depth of flavor and intensity of high-end products.

Pam's long made her own version, having learned the trick while working in safari camp kitchens in Zambia. They used the dulce de leche to create a concoction called Banoffee Pie, which alternates caramel with layers of Marie biscuits, sliced bananas, and whipped cream.

But first, here’s how to make your own dulce de leche.

Pam says that making your own dulce de leche will not only save you money, but your sauce will be superior in taste and quality. And it’s so very simple! The slow, even heat of the sous vide machine is perfect for caramelizing the milk, and eliminates the possibility of scorching. The milk slowly transforms into a thick and luscious dessert sauce.

She's specified making the dulce de leche in glass jars (canning jars are perfect), but some people might make it in the original condensed milk packaging (remove the labels first). Beware, however: tin cans are coated with a protective liner that contains bisphenol A (BPA). Although the EPA reports that human exposure to BPA from can coatings is minimal and poses no known health risk, some consumers find it a concern. Also, some condensed milk brands warn not to heat the cans, so why take a chance?

The sous vide technique works perfectly well with either form, but it takes a few hours longer to caramelize in glass, because glass is a better insulator than metal.

Dulce de leche makes a perfect hostess or holiday gift, so think about filling your machine with 6 or more jars when you make this recipe. For a quick dessert, mix dulce de leche with crème fraîche and use it as a dip for strawberries.

Quick Dulce de Leche Tip

Mix one part dulce de leche to two parts crème fraîche or sour cream, whip with a fork until well blended, then use as a fruit topping.

Modernist Tools, Ingredients, and Techniques Used

If you would like more information about the modernist techniques, ingredients, and equipment used in the Sous Vide Dulce de Leche you can check out the following.

  • Sous Vide Equipment
  • Beginners Guide to Sous Vide

Sous Vide Dulce de Leche

  • Published: April 1, 2012
  • By Pam McKinstry
  • Prep Time: 5 Minutes
  • Total Time: 13 to 15 Hours
  • Cooks: 185°F (85°C) for 13 to 15 Hours
  • Yields: 1.3 cups per can

Ingredients for Sous Vide Dulce de Leche

  • For the Sous Vide Dulce de Leche

  • 3 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk. You can cook more if you wish.

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Cooking Instructions for Sous Vide Dulce de Leche

For the Sous Vide Dulce de Leche

At least 13 to 15 hours before serving

Preheat the water bath to 185°F (85°C).

If desired, open the cans and transfer the condensed milk to sterilized 1/2-pint glass jars, leaving a 1/4 inch head space, and seal with tight-fitting lids. Alternately, remove the labels from the cans and leave them sealed.

Place the jars or cans in the water bath (Pam adds them while the machine is still preheating). Once the water reaches 185°F (85°C), cook the cans for 13 hours, or until you hear no liquid sloshing when the can is shaken. Cook the glass jars for 15 hours, or until the dulce de leche is thick and golden brown. (If the jar is only partially filled, the caramel will be cooked in less time. The jar will also float in the water bath, but that is not a problem.)

Remove the jars or cans from the machine and let them cool for about 20 minutes, then refrigerate the sauce. The dulce de leche will keep, chilled, for up to 3 months.

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Sous Vide Dulce de Leche Recipe (1)

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All tags for this article:Dessert, Milk, Recipe, Sous Vide, Sous Vide Dessert , Sous Vide Dulce de Leche, Sous Vide Milk, Sous Vide Recipes, Sweet , Sweet Sous Vide Feature

Sous Vide Dulce de Leche Recipe (2)This article is by me, Jason Logsdon. I'm an adventurous home cook and professional blogger who loves to try new things, especially when it comes to cooking. I've explored everything from sous vide and whipping siphons to pressure cookers and blow torches; created foams, gels and spheres; made barrel aged co*cktails and brewed beer. I have also written 10 cookbooks on modernist cooking and sous vide and I run the AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com website.

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Sous Vide Dulce de Leche Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you cook dulce de leche too long? ›

Cool down: make absolute sure the can of condensed milk has cooled down completely before removing from the water and opening it. Cooking time: cook from 2.5 hours to 4 hours. The longer you cook, the thicker and darker the dulce de leche will be.

Why do you put baking soda in dulce de leche? ›

Why add baking soda to the sauce? The baking soda will help with the reactions necessary to make the sauce thick and dark, with a rich taste. As you cook the milk and sugar together, water will evaporate, making the solution more acidic, and proteins will begin to coagulate.

Why isn't my dulce de leche thickening? ›

Thickness: It's hard to obtain a really thick dulce de leche with the oven method, because for the dulce de leche to be really thick it will have to bake for a really long time, which will cause a lot of scorching and burning bits of condensed milk in the dulce de leche.

Does condensed milk turn into dulce de leche? ›

Slow cooker method (condensed milk dulce de leche)

In the slow cooker method, you also cook a sealed can of condensed milk, but this time in the slow cooker, for 8 hours, and always making sure the can is completely cooled down before moving it and opening. The results: a very thick and luscious dulce de leche as well!

How can you tell if dulce de leche has gone bad? ›

If dulce de leche has gone bad, you may notice a number of changes. First of all, it might develop a darker color and hard, crystallized lumps.

Can you fix grainy dulce de leche? ›

Don't be alarmed if the dulce de leche looks a bit lumpy or grainy at first! just give it a good whisking and it will smooth out beautifully.

What's the difference between caramel and dulce de leche? ›

Caramel and dulce de leche might look and taste somewhat similar, but they are actually pretty different. While caramel is made from slowly simmering water and sugar until it caramelizes, dulce de leche is made from simmering milk and sugar super slowly until it turns into a creamy, caramelized substance.

How to darken dulce de leche? ›

Simmer the can(s) for 2 to 2 1/2 hours for a lighter golden dulce de leche. Simmer it/them for 3 1/2 hours for a deeper color and flavor. (Using tongs, VERY CAREFULLY turn over the cans halfway through the simmering process.)

What if my dulce de leche is too light? ›

The dulce de leche should be a medium caramel color. If it is too light in color, it is not ready, so continue to cook it. Remove from the oven and take off the foil. When cool enough to handle, take out of the water bath and let the mixture cool.

How to thin homemade dulce de leche? ›

Dulce de leche may thicken as it cools down, so you may need to thin it out over some simmering water to use it as a garnish for ice cream or cheesecake. Create a water bath using a double-boiler, and heat a few tablespoons of dulce de leche in a pot over the simmering water. Stir the mixture occasionally to loosen.

What should the consistency be of dulce de leche? ›

It should be thick enough to leave a clear channel in the pan when a spoon is run through and then add a pinch of salt. It will firm up as it cools. The dulce de leche can be stored in a jar in the fridge and will keep for up to a month.

Is Nestle caramel the same as dulce de leche? ›

The answer is easy, actually. As we know, caramel is simply water and sugar. On the other hand, dulce de leche is, as the name implies (if you've brushed up on your Spanish), milk and sugar.

Is dulce de leche the same as la lechera? ›

Nestle La Lechera Sweetened Condensed Milk, 6 Count

A: Yes, but dulce de leche has caramel added.

Can you overcook dulce de leche? ›

Overcooking Dulce de Leche will make it too thick and maybe even taste burnt. To avoid overcooking, do a cold plate test. You simply dab a small amount of the caramel on a cold plate and turn it sideways. See how far the caramel runs.

What happens if you cook caramel too long? ›

Overheating the mixture

Follow the recipe carefully, and never melt your caramel on your stove's highest setting—it will cause the caramel to scorch and taste burnt. Once it gets a burnt or bitter flavor, it can't be saved.

What to do with overcooked dulce de leche? ›

Dulce de leche is too thick: If it's too thick while warm, this also happens when the sauce is overcooked and too much liquid has evaporated. Pulse in the food processor/blender with a tiny bit of cream or milk (start with 1/2 teaspoon; a little goes a long way) until it reaches your desired consistency.

Is it safe to cook dulce de leche in can? ›

The pressure inside the can can't exceed the pressure of the environment around it as long as it's covered by water the whole time it's cooking. Before cooking the condensed milk can inspect it and make sure it is not dented or have any damages. Always be VERY careful, make sure to cover the can with water completely.

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