Uruguay is a country of cows. There are approximately four cows to each human in Uruguay. That is a whole lot of milk. I think that explains Uruguayans’ addiction to dulce de leche, the creamy sweet stuff made from cooking milk and sugar. Dulce de leche is popular in all of South America, but the Uruguayans take it to new heights with their consumption of pastries filled, drizzled, daubed or smothered with it. Walk into any panaderia and you will notice that most of the sweets on display involve dulce de leche. Sadly, they are not very into chocolate here and their chocolate generally stinks.
So what is it exactly? Dulce de leche, heaven on a spoon, is a caramel colored, exquisitely smooth, and very sweet spread. It can be smeared on toast, used to fill cakes, cookies and crepes, or just eaten with a spoon from the jar. North Americans usually mistake it for caramel. It is like caramel, but more creamy and milky in taste and texture.
Living here, I knew I would have to battle my dulce de leche addiction. For the first couple of months, I put off buying any. Then I caved and bought a jar of the La Pataia brand (my favorite). Once the jar was gone, I vowed to not buy any again. That does not mean I don’t eat it when we go out, but there is no reason to have it around the house.
That was until yesterday, when a friend brought us five liters of fresh milk. Just that morning that milk had been in his cow. By the evening, the milk was in my pot, being simmered with sugar, a small bit of baking soda, and a bit of orange zest until it was transformed into the sticky goodness that I love. My first time making real dulce de leche (some people cheat by submerging an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk into a pot of boiling water for three hours) I was expecting disaster, but it was quite easy to make. Or maybe I should clarify that by saying it is easy if you don’t mind stirring the pot for two hours while it reduces and cooks until light brown in color. Luckily, Cesar shared in the stirring duty. The result was creamy and smooth. The taste was sweet, with the rich flavor of caramel and a delicate hint of orange flavor that gave it nice depth.
Now I have to figure out what to do with the stuff. It can’t stay here, or I will eat it all.
So what is it exactly? Dulce de leche, heaven on a spoon, is a caramel colored, exquisitely smooth, and very sweet spread. It can be smeared on toast, used to fill cakes, cookies and crepes, or just eaten with a spoon from the jar. North Americans usually mistake it for caramel. It is like caramel, but more creamy and milky in taste and texture.
Living here, I knew I would have to battle my dulce de leche addiction. For the first couple of months, I put off buying any. Then I caved and bought a jar of the La Pataia brand (my favorite). Once the jar was gone, I vowed to not buy any again. That does not mean I don’t eat it when we go out, but there is no reason to have it around the house.
That was until yesterday, when a friend brought us five liters of fresh milk. Just that morning that milk had been in his cow. By the evening, the milk was in my pot, being simmered with sugar, a small bit of baking soda, and a bit of orange zest until it was transformed into the sticky goodness that I love. My first time making real dulce de leche (some people cheat by submerging an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk into a pot of boiling water for three hours) I was expecting disaster, but it was quite easy to make. Or maybe I should clarify that by saying it is easy if you don’t mind stirring the pot for two hours while it reduces and cooks until light brown in color. Luckily, Cesar shared in the stirring duty. The result was creamy and smooth. The taste was sweet, with the rich flavor of caramel and a delicate hint of orange flavor that gave it nice depth.
Now I have to figure out what to do with the stuff. It can’t stay here, or I will eat it all.
And I thought I was bold for touring Conaprole's dulce de leche plant in Florida - you actually made dulce de leche! I'm impressed.
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