Dulce de Leche

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Milk Made

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (28)

Cook Time:
3 hr 0 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
about 1 cup

Times:

Prep: 5 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 3 hr 0 min
Total:: 3 hr 5 min

Recipe Tools:

Select a Card Size

Add To My Recipe Box

Success

This recipe was added to your Folder_Name folder.

Do not show this message again

Add To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to add this recipe to your Recipe Box.

Ingredients

1 quart whole milk
12 ounces sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds in a large, 4-quart saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the baking soda and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered at a bare simmer. Stir occasionally, but do not re-incorporate the foam that appears on the top of the mixture. Continue to cook for 1 hour. Remove the vanilla bean after 1 hour and continue to cook until the mixture is a dark caramel color and has reduced to about 1 cup, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a month.

Next Recipe

More recipes? Try these recommendations:

Similar Recipe

Individual Pecan Pies with Sweet Tea Caramel Sauce

Photo: Dulce de Leche

Similar Recipes

Recipes Like This

All About…

Recipe Collections

Showing 1-7 of 7

View all 7 Mexican Collections

Comments & Reviews

recipe Dulce de Leche
Jennie Spokane, WA 10-15-2009
Flag

VERY easy to make
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is very easy to make! I can never get the timing on caramel right, and so it always ends up bitter. This was nice... because I did not have to worry about timing, and I ended up with a delicious product!Read more
recipe Dulce de Leche
null null, null 10-14-2009
Flag

Great use for left-over milk
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I had 2 qts of milk in the fridge that only had 1 day of expiration left. I knew my children would not drink it all and it... seemed like such a waste to dump it down the drain........ Ahhhhhhhh....so I got the bright idea to make a batch of this dulce de Leche. It simmered easily for a few hr while I got the rest of supper ready. Tasted wonderful afterwards with sauteed bananas and ice cream. Thanks AltonRead more
recipe Dulce de Leche
Karen Castle Rock, CO 09-05-2009
Flag

Easier way to make it
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

Too much work. I just have my dad bring me the real stuff from Argentina. Dulce De Leche by Havanna! Yum! I'm having a... spoonful as I write! Now if you don't have that kind of connection then there is an easier way to make some. My mom did this all the time when I was kid. Just take a can of sweetened condensed milk (regular, not low-fat). She always used Eagle Brand. Peel off the paper and submerge it in a pot of boiling water turning the can over often and keeping the water boiling. I'm pretty sure she did this for at least an hour or two. You might have to experiment on the time. Then take the can out and let it cool completely. This is important. My mom once tried opening the can before it cooled and quite a bit of it ended up on the kitchen ceiling!! Store it in a container and refrigerate. Not quite as thick as the real stuff but it'll still satisfy. We always spread ours on toast with a little butter on it first. My son loves eating it that way too. Enjoy! Read more
recipe Dulce de Leche
Sarah VAil, AZ 08-09-2009
Flag

Great way to use milk before it spoils
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I had two gallons about to expire and wanted something useful to do with it. I made a 4 x batch of this stuff. I did not... have vanilla bean in the house so I used cinnamon stick and a bit of vanilla extract. YUMMY! I am glad I tried this. I am also hopefull that I will have extra milk in my future so I can make it again. I refuse to by milk to make this because it can not be too kind to the behind.Read more
recipe Dulce de Leche
Frank Minneapolis, MN 08-09-2009
Flag

I think I may be doing something wrong...
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

First things first, this is a delicious recipe, and I'm making it for the third time as I type this. However, every time I... make it, it seems to have an applesauce-like consistency, even with adding the proper (measured) amount of baking soda. On that note, I think some of my trouble may be related to my crappy electric-coil burner and not properly regulating the heat. The first time I made this, I managed to keep it at a constant simmer, and the second time it never simmered at all. This time, I dissolved the sugar (in warm, not simmering, milk) and then added the baking soda. I was frustrated by the lack of bubbling, so I cranked the burner on high in order to satisfy my need to see some progress. Turns out that when you do that after you add the baking soda, it RAPIDLY rises, and it nearly Pompei'd all over my stove-top. I think that the next time I make this, I'll make sure that it comes to a slight simmer BEFORE I add the baking soda; at least I hope that'll help. I just hope this batch is smooth and caramel-like in texture...I certainly stir it often enough. Every 10 minutes or so should meet the criteria for the word "occasionally," right?Read more
recipe Dulce de Leche
rocio akron, OH 08-03-2009
Flag

I' trying it this weekend.
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I love Dulce de Leche. I found a jar at Williams Sonoma this weekend and it send me back to my life before I came to the... States. The one thing I miss the most is Dulce de Leche and I can't believe how expensive it is to buy a good one. I was so happy when I found this recipe that I can't wait to try it. I will be making some this weekend. The latinamerican dish Alton referred to in his video is Alfajores, a type of cookie that is to die for. Another thing I really miss from my country. Maybe once I master this recipe, I will move onto alfajores.Read more