Dulce de Leche is a flavor that is starting to pop up in more and more desserts. Translated, it means “candy of milk” which explains exactly how it is made. The caramelized treat is created by slowing heating sweetened milk. There are different variations of the sweet treat, from creamy and gel-like to a custard-like.
There is a never-ending list of ways to use Dulce de Leche in your desserts. It is often used to flavor cakes, cookies, brownies, ice cream and nearly anything else that you’d like to add some sweetness to.
Dulce de Leche is extremely easy to make at home, especially if you have a crock pot! There are many recipes out there showing how to create it on a stove top or in the oven, however the easiest (and safest) way to create this treat is placing it in a crockpot overnight. The great thing about using the crockpot is you use canning jars that seal automatically when you use this method. This helps to keep it fresh so you can make it about a month in advance of using it.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk (amount depends on size of canning jars used.
- 2 cans will fill 3-8oz jars)
- Canning Jars with lids
- Crockpot
- Fill each canning jar with sweetened condensed milk about an inch from the top.
- Place lid on and tighten ring finger tight.
- Place jars into a crock pot and fill pot with water to just below the rim.
- Cook jars on low for 8-10 hours.
- The longer you cook the mixture, the thicker it will become. Using the glass jars makes it easy to see how dark the milk has become.
- When it has finished cooking, carefully remove from water and allow to cool.
- Use immediately or the jar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks when opened. If you store while still sealed, it should remain fresh for about a month.
Are you looking for more Slow Cooker Recipes? Follow me on Pinterest and check out the fantastic Slow Cooker Recipes Board!
Hi there! This looks sooooo yummy and I’d love to try it. I am not sure what you mean by ring finger tight however. Could you please briefly explain that?
Thank you and be well,
julie
It’s says “tighten ring finger tight”. That means to tighten the ring of the lid with your fingers until it’s tight. You don’t need to go overboard making it too tight but it does need to be secure. Hope that helps!
Do you leave the crock pot lid off or on during cooking?
We have been making this for years. But I just use old fashioned cans no pop tops peal label and then boil unopened cans for like 3-4 hours. Cool cool cool open,n eat??. It don’t get no simpler. You don’t have to Re can. Just keep on ref. I am sure it would be ok on shelf but I just keep in ref cause it do t last kind. Be careful nit to let water boil out or…explode and big old mess. Just keep covered with. Water. I also use cheap sweetened cond milk, just as good.
The reason to pour the milk into jars is the BPA lining in the cans. It becomes toxic when heated, making the dulce de leche toxic as well.
Thank you, Amy, for the post!!
My husband used this method throughout college and taught me how when we got married 30 years ago. We’ve never had a can explode. During our youngest son’s deployments to Afghanistan, we sent cans of this to him and his buddies. He loved the little bit of home sent to him, and said the best way to eat the caramel there was between homemade soft gingersnaps.
If the BPA lining in the cans becomes toxic when heated, this is something that I didn’t know, but I’d still probably fix it this way. I may try the crockpot and jar method if I can’t find cans without the poptop.
Silly question…when you say fill to the brim with water, which brim do you mean? Am I fill with water to the brim of the crock pot, or to the brim of the jar I’m using? Should my entire jar be submerged? Thanks!
Fill the crock pot with water to just under the brim of the jar.
Hello – I just tried this tonight and it tastes great! However it’s definitely not pourable. And it’s kind of chunky. Do you think I cooked it too long? It’s a nice dark tan color.
Yes, it sounds like you cooked it a bit too long. It shouldn’t be that dark. Make sure you are cooking it on low and start checking the color after about 7 hours.