HOMEMADE DULCE DE LECHE 2 WAYS {CAJETA}

YIELD

Makes 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS

1. Classic method:
   • 4 cups milk
   • 1 1/4 cups sugar
   • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla
2. Sweetened condensed milk method:
   • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

PREPARATION

1. Classic menthod:
   1. Stir together 4 cups milk, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and thickened, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. (After about an hour, stir more often as milk caramelizes, to avoid burning.) Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
2. Sweetened condensed milk method:
1. Heat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Pour the contents of 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover tightly with foil. Set plate in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up pie plate. Bake milk in middle of oven 45 minutes. Check water level and add additional, if necessary, then continue to bake 45 minutes more, or until milk is thick and brown. Remove pie plate from water bath and cool, uncovered. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.
3. Or, even easier...Place cans in slow cooker on their side. ... 
4. Cover cans with hot tap water until the water is about 5 cm / 2” above the cans.
5. Set slow cooker for 8 hours on low.
6. If you want your caramel to be a really dark golden colour, slow cook for a further 2 hours.
7. Remove cans from slow cooker using tongs.

Cooks' Notes:

•The leftover dulce de leche will keep for a couple of weeks, refrigerated. It would be great stirred into coffee or cocoa, spread on toast, or warmed and drizzled on ice cream. Try it with peanut butter on a sandwich (surely the top trade at the school lunch table).