How to Cook Dulce de Leche in a Can

Dulce de leche, a rich, thick sauce similar to caramel, is a popular treat hailing from South America. According to legend, dulce de leche originated in Argentina in the 1800s when a serving woman left lechada, a sugar and milk drink, on the stove for too long. When she returned, she found the milk and sugar had turned into a dark, jelly-like substance, the first batch of dulce de leche. Today, dulce de leche is commonly made from heating sweetened condensed milk in a can. The sweet treat can be served as it is, or as a topping for desserts.

Things You'll Need

1 can sweetened condensed milk
Can opener

Saucepan

Instructions

Remove the label from the condensed milk can.
Use a can opener to open the can halfway, but do not pull the lid up. This allows air to escape so that pressure will not build up in the can.
Place the can in a deep saucepan and fill with water until it reaches close to the top of the can.
Bring the water to a low simmer and let the can sit in the water for four to five hours. Add more water as necessary as boiling will reduce the amount of water.
Check after four hours to see if it is ready by carefully lifting the lid of the milk can partially. If it's not ready, put the lid back in place and continue to simmer in the water.
Remove the can from the water with oven mitts. Allow it to cool on top of the stove before removing the lid and serving.

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