Doce de Leite
A traditional spread popular in many Latin American countries, especially Brazil and Argentina. It's made by slowly cooking sweetened milk until it thickens and caramelizes, creating a creamy, spreadable and richly flavored confection. It's used as a spread on bread or crackers; as a filling for pastries, cakes, or cookies; as a topping for pancakes, waffles, or ice cream; and even eaten by itself as a sweet treat.
Add <quantity>4<unit>cups</unit></quantity> of whole milk and <quantity>1¼<unit>cups</unit></quantity> of sugar to a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar
Add <quantity>¼<unit>tsp</unit></quantity> of baking soda and stir to dissolve
Place a heatproof plate upside down in the saucepan to prevent the milk from boiling over as it simmers, reducing the need to constantly watch it. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar
Once simmering, reduce the heat to low. Let cook for about 1h30-2h, stirring occasionally. The milk will gradually thicken and turn a caramel color. As it reduces, stir more frequently to avoid sticking
When it reaches a deep caramel color, carefully remove the plate from the saucepan. Keep stirring until it reaches a spreadable consistency and remove from the heat
Transfer to a bowl and blend with a hand blender to obtain a smoother consistency. Allow to cool completely before transferring to a jar or container. The doce de leite is ready
Enjoy!
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