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Argentine-Style Milk Caramel (Dulce de Leche)

Argentine-Style Milk Caramel (Dulce de Leche) offers a deeply caramelized, milky sweetness with a silky, spoonable texture and subtle vanilla aroma. It’s rich yet balanced, perfect for spreading on toast, swirling into desserts, or serving over ice cream for a special treat after dinner.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook1 hr
  • Serves32
  • DifficultyMedium
Argentine-Style Milk Caramel (Dulce de Leche)
  1. 1

    Bring the milk to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Take it off the heat; strain it through cheesecloth. Return it to the saucepan.

  2. 2

    Split the vanilla bean in half; scrape the seeds into the milk. Stir in the sugar; cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the baking soda just as the milk mixture starts to boil. Lower the heat to medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, a wooden spoon pulled through shows the bottom of the pan, and the mixture turns light brown. Take the pan off the heat.

  3. 3

    Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water; set the saucepan in the ice bath, stirring constantly until the dulce de leche is cold. Transfer to sterile airtight jars; keep in the refrigerator.