Description
This Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel, also known as Dulce de Leche, is a luscious, creamy caramel sauce made by slow cooking unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk. The slow cooker method transforms the milk’s sugars into a rich, golden caramel over several hours, creating a versatile treat perfect for drizzling over desserts, spreading on toast, or incorporating into recipes.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 cans sweetened condensed milk (395g / 14 oz each)
Instructions
- Prepare the cans: Place the unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk on their side inside the slow cooker. There is no need to remove the labels from the cans.
- Add water: Pour hot tap water into the slow cooker until it covers the cans by about 5 cm (2 inches). This ensures even cooking and prevents the cans from overheating.
- Slow cook: Set your slow cooker to low heat and cook the cans for 8 hours. This slow process transforms the milk into creamy caramel.
- Optional deeper color: For a darker, richer caramel color and flavor, extend the cooking time by an additional 2 hours (total 10 hours).
- Remove safely: After cooking, carefully remove the hot cans from the slow cooker using tongs. Be cautious not to open the cans while hot, as the contents may burst out dangerously due to pressure buildup.
- Cool the cans: Submerge the cans in cold water for about 10 minutes to cool them down before opening.
- Open and serve: Once cooled, open the cans to reveal smooth, golden dulce de leche.
- Store properly: If not using immediately, transfer the caramel to jars or airtight containers. Do not store it in the cans.
Notes
- Do not open the cans while hot to avoid risk of injury from the pressurized contents.
- Make sure the cans remain fully submerged during cooking by topping up the water as needed to prevent burning or explosion risk.
- The caramel thickens further as it cools; stir well before use.
- This method preserves a silky texture and deep caramel flavor without baking or stovetop attention.
