Technique Post: Dulce de leche #2 - On top of the stove, in the can
I was disappointed with my first dulce de leche making effort using the microwave. The result was soft caramel, or rather after refrigeration, quite firm caramel, instead of what I wanted, which was a pourable topping or a spoonable filling for a cake or other pastry, so I thought I'd take the risk of trying to make it in the unopened can.
ETA: Note that I could/should have stopped at 10-12 minutes of microwaving and I probably would have gotten what I was aiming for but I decided to go a couple more minutes ... and then a couple more until I got the colour I was looking for. So, it was not the technique that was at fault, it was operator error. :) The time saving was considerable, though the hands on time was actually less with the stove method, barring the addition of more hot water to top off the pot twice (at the 1 and 2 hr mark).
I had planned on spending most of my time in the kitchen anyway, making fatayer, so I knew I would be able to keep an eye on the boiling pot of water. Here's what I did.
Directions for making dulce de leche
1. Peel the label off the can of sweetened condensed milk.
2. Fill a tall pot with hot water out of the tap, place the unopened can in the pot making sure that you've got about an inch or so of water above the can.
3. Bring the water to a boil and then turn the heat down so you have a hard simmer (a setting of #4 on my electric stove) going. Check every hour to make sure that water is still covering the can. Bring some water to a boil in a kettle or in a saucepan to top off the pot.
4. After 3 hrs, turn off the heat and pull the pot off the heat. After about an hour, remove the can from the water with tongs and place on the counter to cool to room temperature.
5. Open the can and spoon the contents into a clean jar and refrigerate.
After 3 hrs - beautiful colour and thick and spoonable but not pourable. Tastes good too. :)
Colour comparison between the 'caramel' I ended up with when I tried to make dulce de leche in the microwave (16 min at 50% power, whisking every 2 minutes) and cooking the sweetened condensed milk on the stove for 3 hrs.
Conclusion ... I have one more can so I think I'll try this again, in the can, on top of the stove, but stopping after 2 hrs. First though, I have to do something with the 'caramel' and dulce de leche I already have. And the caramel sauce I made as a topping for the pumpkin pie cheesecake. :)