dulce de leche (definitive version)

it's been a couple weeks since dulce de leche v1.0, and the verdict is in. that version, as you will remember, was defined both by a beautiful color and a slightly acidic aftertaste. the basic recipe remains the same: a quart of milk, a cup of sugar, a vanilla bean; but i made two more batches varying in the type of milk product. the first of those batches employs regular whole milk, the second evaporated milk. in the photo above, there's a clear variation in the color of each batch (l-r: whole milk, evaporated milk, whole milk + baking soda).

there are differences in texture, visible in the photo, as well: the regular milk batch is a little grainier, even after food processing. in fact, after two weeks in the fridge, it has definitely crystallized a bit. the other two batches retained a creamier texture; perhaps it's the baking soda, but the baking soda batch edged the evaporated milk batch in texture, with a slightly softer mouthfeel. the baking soda batch did mellow a bit as it aged, so if you really want the darker color, you could probably do with adding in the baking soda. i would recommend not, in general.

i will say that making dulce de leche does not involve much skill, so go to it! it does require patience, but it will be worth it - this stuff does taste better to me than the typical way of making dulce de leche, with a richer taste and texture. if you're making this, don't forget that since there are so few ingredients, you should use good ones. your vanilla bean should be plump and at least moderately supple and bendy; if you're using regular milk, use an organic, hormone-free milk for best results.

dulce de leche

1 quart (4c) evaporated milk

1c sugar

1 vanilla bean

1. in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine evaporated milk and sugar. split the vanilla bean and scrape the beans out into the pan. stir to combine (the vanilla seeds will disperse more evenly as the mixture thickens and cooks) and turn heat to medium.

2. cook over medium heat until the mixture is thick and it doesn't run too much when you firmly drag a rubber spatula through the mixture. keep stirring it frequently, taking care that it doesn't boil, but rather simmers. the time for this varies, but it will probably take about four hours. it will look a little bit grainy as it gets close to being done, but don't worry about that. you will want to stir more in the last half-hour to make sure the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.

3. scrape the mixture into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is smooth. if you don't have a food processor (or a blender, or immersion blender), your dulce de leche just won't be quite as smooth - it will still taste the same, all debates about the effect of visual perception of food on its taste notwithstanding. this is a rare occasion in which i do actually recommend using a food processor. scrape the mixture into an airtight container and let cool. when it's cool, store in the refrigerator up to about a month or two.

[makes 1 to 1 1/2 cups]