Dulce Tooth

To me, dulce de leche is primarily a delightful Haagen-Dazs flavor. Before yesterday, I had some idea that it was more than a variety of ice cream, but not much.

I was thumbing through a fairly old New York Times Magazine Wednesday when I found this piece on the South American caramel spread. In it, the author talks of a really easy way to recreate the treat--boil a can of evaporated milk for three hours.

As luck had it, I just happened to have a whole can of sweetened, condensed milk, minus one tablespoon, in the fridge. I'd used it as an ingredient for my caramel slices, and couldn't quite think of what to do with the rest. So I did the usual--put it in tupperware.

My excitement at finding a possible use for this condensed milk was tempered by the recipe (can you call boiling a can a recipe?) calling for an unopened can. After toying with several ideas, I settled on a jam jar in my recycling bin. I poured the creamy milk into the glass and away we went...at a low temperature because I'm afraid of milky glass shrapnel.

Three hours later, it looks like butterscotch, but a bit thinner. I think I'll boil a bit longer. Assuming I'm not taken out by a "detonation de leche," check back tomorrow for a full report.