Twenty Four Hour Cajeta Dulce De Leche By Rick Bayless Recipes

TWENTY-FOUR HOUR CAJETA (DULCE DE LECHE) BY RICK BAYLESS

Steps:

• Dissolve baking soda in the tablespoon of water. Set aside.
• Pour the milk into the slow cooker. Whisk in the sugar. Add the cinnamon stick and the dissolved baking soda. Stir well.
• Turn slow cooker on high and cook, uncovered, for 24 hours, but see next step before leaving it alone that long.
• After about 18 hours, the cajeta will have darkened into light golden brown. That's when to keep an eye on it. Stir from time to time to make sure it cooks evenly.
• When it is noticeably thick and richly golden, test a couple of drops on a cold plate. The cooled cajeta should be the consistency of caramel sauce. If still a little runny, cook longer until it reaches consistency.
• When cajeta is ready, strain through fine mesh into a bowl or wide mouth storage jar.
• It will keep for a month or more, covered, in the refrigerator. But who could possibly leave it for a month? You'll be wanting to put it on everything!

DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Equipment: Fondue pot; fondue forks or wooden or metal skewers
• Make the Fondue: Remove label from the cans. Stand the cans in a saucepan and add water to cover. (Note: Do NOT open or puncture the can in any way prior to cooking.) Bring the water to a gentle simmer and keep it there for 3 hours, adding water as needed to keep the cans submerged.
• Allow the cans to cool before opening. The milk will have transformed into a smooth, creamy, caramel-colored sauce, dulce de leche! Pour into a warmed fondue pot and serve with assorted dippers and fondue forks.

DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• For the stovetop method: Remove the label from the can of sweetened condensed milk. Place 3 to 4 forks upside down on the bottom of a large 6- to 8-quart pot. Place the unopened can on top of the forks and cover with water by a few inches. (The forks help to prevent a vacuum between the bottom of the can and the pot.) Place the pot over high heat until it reaches a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low or low to maintain a steady simmer for about 3 hours. Add more water to the pot if necessary to ensure that the can is submerged at all times. Let the can cool to room temperature in the water before removing. Open the can and scoop out the contents. The dulce de leche should be dark and caramelized.
• For the oven method: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a shallow baking dish in a roasting pan. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the baking dish and cover the dish with foil. Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake until the dulce de leche is dark and caramelized, 60 to 75 minutes, checking the water level occasionally and adding more if needed. Let cool, then whisk until smooth.
• Transfer the dulce de leche to an airtight container, put plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.