What is dulce de leche?
Dulce de leche is milk and sugar cooked slowly for hours until the water evaporates and the mixture turns thick, glossy and light brown. Nothing else: a pinch of baking soda so it does not curdle, and a vanilla pod if you like. What gives it its flavour is time.
In Argentina it is eaten by the spoonful, spread on breakfast bread, used to fill alfajores, medialunas, cakes and pancakes, and melted over ice cream. It is the taste of childhood for every Argentine, and probably the country's most beloved ingredient. Argentina, Uruguay and other countries in the region have argued over its origin for two centuries.
Dulce de leche is not an ingredient. It is an attitude.
Not caramel, and not caramel cream either
In Germany it often gets confused, so it is worth clearing up:
Caramel
Just burnt sugar. Hard and bitter.
Caramel cream
Caramel with cream and butter added at the end.
Dulce de leche
Milk and sugar, hours on low heat. Creamy, milky, toasted.
French confiture de lait is the closest thing, and Mexican cajeta is the goat's milk version.
How it is made
The traditional recipe is slow. For every litre of whole milk you need about 200 to 250 grams of sugar and a pinch of baking soda. It simmers on low heat, stirred now and then, for two to three hours. At first nothing happens, then it starts taking on colour, and in the last half hour you have to stir constantly so it does not stick. It is ready when the spoon leaves a trail on the bottom of the pot for a second.
There is the shortcut of boiling a closed tin of condensed milk, and it works, but the result is heavier and less aromatic. The real thing is made from milk.
Repostero and clásico: there are two kinds. The clásico is runnier, for spreading and for bread. The repostero is cooked longer and stays firm, for filling alfajores and cakes without leaking. At Patagonien we use repostero for the alfajores.
Where you will find it at Patagonien
- At the heart of all our alfajores, piped on one by one.
- Inside the filled medialunas, the most Argentine breakfast combination there is.
- In the cakes, depending on the week.
Everything is on the menu, with prices and allergens. Dulce de leche contains milk, so it is not suitable for vegans or people with lactose intolerance.
Frequently asked questions
Is it the same as the "dulce de leche" sold in German supermarkets?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Many products with that name are actually caramel creams. Check the ingredients: if milk comes first and there is no cream or butter, it is on the right track.
How long does it keep?
Sealed, for months. Opened, in the fridge, three to four weeks. Although in an Argentine home it never lasts that long.
Can it be frozen?
Yes, but it loses some texture. Better to buy just the right amount.
Come and try it
A cornstarch alfajor or a filled medialuna with a coffee is the best way to understand what it is all about. We are waiting for you at Kressenstraße 33, Nuremberg.
