Leticia Ramos’s Doce de Leite

For this recipe, it’s important to keep the mixture over a medium flame: too low and the sugar won’t caramelize; too high and the milk scorches.

Makes about 4 cups

INGREDIENTS

4 ¼ cups whole milk
2 cups white cane sugar

(1) Warm milk in a saucepan set over medium heat; add sugar and stir. Cook, stirring frequently. After about an hour, it will resemble canned sweetened condensed milk and will begin to caramelize.
(2) Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for between 30 and 40 minutes, depending on how hard you want the doce de leite to be. To test, take a spoonful and allow to cool; this will be the consistency of the finished doce de leite.
(3) When doce de leite reaches desired consistency, remove from flame and pour into a heatproof container.
(4) Once it has cooled, cover and keep in the refrigerator. It will last 10 days.

Jeff McCarthy’s Dulce de Leche

For this recipe, based on one from cookbook author David Lebovitz, Ten 01’s pastry chef Jeff McCarthy uses a pressure cooker.

INGREDIENTS

1(or more) 14 oz can(s) sweetened condensed milk, unopened

(1) Place unopened can, with label still on, in a pressure cooker and cover can with water.
(2) Cook on the stove over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
(3) Remove can from pan carefully. Once the can cools, open and spoon dulce de leche into a container.
(4) Cover and refrigerate.