Dulce de Leche – Argentine Milk Caramel from Scratch
The foundation of Río de la Plata baking, declared part of Argentina's Culinary and Gastronomic Cultural Heritage. It can be made the traditional way or with a shortcut.
The baking soda is not optional. It gives the dark color and it neutralizes the acidity of the milk so that it does not curdle over an hour of simmering — without it you get pale, grainy caramel.
You will also need glass marbles (or a shallow plate turned upside down) for the bottom of the pot. They stop the milk from catching, and they have to be in there from the first boil.
Where to find dulce de leche. In Argentina it is in every supermarket; almost nowhere else is that true. Three routes: ready-made in a jar from a Latin American grocer or online (Havanna and San Ignacio are the usual brands); the caramelised condensed milk sold in Eastern European shops, where it is known as varyonaya sgushchyonka; or made at home. The shortcut: simmer an unopened tin of sweetened condensed milk in a water bath for two to three hours. ⚠️ It has to be sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk — the tin from the coffee aisle carries no sugar and will not caramelise. Keep the tin fully covered with water the whole time, and do not open it until it has cooled completely.
Boiled condensed milk is also the classic filling for oreshki, the little shortcrust nuts.
And together with whipped cream it goes over the bread pudding.
🔎 What is dulce de leche? — where it comes from, what goes in it and how it differs.
🔎 What is condensed milk? — where it comes from, what goes in it and how it differs.
Ingredients
- 1 l whole milk
- 250 g white sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) — essential for the dark color and to keep the milk from curdling
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
- 1
In a copper or heavy-bottomed pot, stir the milk, the sugar and the baking soda together at room temperature with a wooden spoon, until the sugar crystals have completely dissolved.
- 2
Bring the pot to medium-high heat until the first boil; at that moment add the vanilla extract and carefully place the glass marbles (or the upside-down plate) in the bottom of the pot to keep the milk from catching.
- 3
Lower to medium-low and cook for 60-70 minutes at a gentle simmer. The boiling will move the marbles around; still, stir occasionally to keep an eye on the edges.
- 4
When the mixture takes on a golden tone and thickens, carefully lift out the marbles with the wooden spoon and start stirring continuously in a figure-eight motion so it does not scorch.
- 5
To check the setting point, put a small spoonful on a cold plate and draw a line through the middle: if the furrow does not close up, it is ready.
- 6
Turn off the heat and keep stirring for 2-3 minutes to stop the cooking and give it shine.
- 7
Pour it while still hot into a sterilized glass jar, let it cool to room temperature and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
The Dulce de Leche Trail: Argentina's Sweetest Flavor
If one flavor defines Argentina and takes you straight back to childhood, it is dulce de leche. These are the recipes where this milk caramel plays the lead: from cooking your own from scratch to the best ways to use it. A tribute to the most generous and comforting sweet in the Argentine kitchen.
