An easy dulce de leche (cooked condensed milk) recipe with only 1 ingredient! Sweetened condensed milk is cooked until it becomes thick, creamy caramel-like pudding that you can use for many dessert recipes. It’s delicious straight out of the can, with ice cream, in coffee or spread onto apple slices.
Place 4 cans of sweetened condensed milk into a big pot right-side up. You need a pot with lid.
Cover cans with room temperature water, making sure the water level is at least 2-inches above the cans.
Bring the water to a very light rolling boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to lowest and let simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours for thickest texture, making sure cans are fully submerged in water at all times. Add more hot water if needed in case some water evaporates during the simmering process. With lid on, you shouldn’t have to do it.
Once cans have simmered to desired cooking time, remove the pot from the heat and leave the cans in the water to cool to room temperature. This will ensure the thickest dulce de leche texture possible. For slightly thinner or lighter in color dulce de leche, remove cans from the hot water using a pair of kitchen tongs and allow them to cool to room temperature. Giving time to cool, will let dulce de leche firm up. Do not try to open cans while still hot as the hot dulce de leche may spit out because of the pressure inside.
If not using right away, refrigerate once cooled for up to 1 month in unopened cans.
Notes
Store: Cool dulce de leche to room temperature. Without opening the cans, store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Store opened can leftovers in an airtight container or glass jar in refrigerator. Never store opened dulce de leche in a can!
Ways to Enjoy Dulce de Leche: Eating spoonful. Use in desserts as filling or in frosting (Oreshki or Peach Cookies). As a sweetener in coffee or hot chocolate (dulce de leche + milk). Drizzle on crepes, ice cream or brownies. Spread onto graham crackers or plain biscuits. As a dip or spread for churros or apple slices. Cheesecake or as caramel layer between cake slices.
Cook Time: 2-hours for lighter caramel (golden creamy dulce de leche with a thinner texture). 3 to 3 1/2-hours cook for dark brown rich color with thickest texture possible.
Pot and Lid: For best results, use an old stainless steel pot with lid for better control of heat and water. Cover pot with lid to keep water form evaporating.
Pot-Cleaning: Pot will get a bit sticky from the glue on cans, but it's very easy to clean. I use Bar Keepers Friend or baking soda and a scrubbing pad to turn the pot into new again.