Dulce De Leche In A Can: Dairy From The Southern Hemisphere

By Miranda Sweeney


Milk is an important staple in many countries, not merely as a drink but as an ingredient in other dishes and meals. As a food source, it provides calcium, protein, energy and several other nutrients that the body requires. Combining sugar with milk adds to the latter's food value and is a tradition in the cuisine of many nations. Modern innovation now offers dulce de leche in a can, making this traditional snack available as an easy-to-use option.

For those who have never tried it, dulce de leche is a traditional sweet dairy preparation in most South American countries. The Latin dulce indicates that it is sweet, and this is as a result of the solution of sugar in the milk base. The combined ingredients are heated slowly to produce a crumbly, crystallized (not to mention delicious) milk dish. Other ingredients, such as cinnamon, cardamom or vanilla, may also be added.

If you are going to try to make this yourself, you need to keep in mind the usual issues around cooking with milk. Milk will catch or adhere to the base of the pot if you heat it too rapidly. Hot milk generates a layer or "skin" on its surface as it cools. So, heat the milk as slowly as possible and in one session, stirring all the time. Don't do it in stages or leave it alone.

There are people who heat the milk by boiling a shop-bought can of condensed milk in water, when the can is still closed. Manufactured condensed milk already contains sweeteners, so it saves effort to do this. But there is also an added danger. If the water boils away, the can will overheat and blow up. If it does this, it is unlikely to start a fire but it will make a terrible mess in the kitchen. Obviously, one should never try to heat a sealed container in a microwave.

This dish offers the chef a wide variety of options to experiment with. Milk is a broad canvas on which to express specific preferences in taste or local cuisine. There are practically endless possibilities. Anything that works with milk will succeed here too. Milkshake recipes are a potential source of inspiration.

The dish can also be used as a complement to other dishes. Usually, people have their cake or dessert with ice-cream or custard. The South American equivalent is also made of milk and has a suitable texture. It is sweet, so it makes a good dessert item, even on its own. It is also used as an ingredient in baking, such as in cakes or cookies.

The Indian version is known as basundi. This is made using the same technique and is subject to various regional refinements such as pistachio nuts, cheese or fruit. As with all Indian cooking, it is also made using a host of different spices.

This multinational success illustrates how people everywhere enjoy dairy. Any product that has milk as its main ingredient is therefore available to international caterers, since no religious practice or cultural preference disallows it. It is also suitable for use by vegetarians. Dulce de leche is an adaptable generic treat. We may have lost our milk teeth, but we can still cater to our sweet tooth.




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