Dulce de Leche is truly an Argentine passion. To grasp its significance, consider that it’s the 4th most consumed dairy product in the country and recognized as cultural, culinary, and food heritage of Argentina. It even has its own national day, celebrated on October 11th. Although beloved throughout Latin America (known as “Arequipe” in Venezuela, Colombia, and Guatemala, “Cajeta” in Mexico, “Manjar” in Chile, “Bienmesabe” in Panama, or “Queso de Urrao” in Bolivia, among others), documented history traces its creation to 1829, when the cook of Buenos Aires’ governor, Juan Manuel de Rosas, accidentally left “Lechada” (a mixture of cow’s milk and sugar) on the fire. Hours later, she discovered it transformed into a thicker, shiny brown substance, the result of milk evaporation and sugar caramelization, yielding an unforgettable flavor.
Can I Make Dulce de Leche at Home? How?
Its original recipe is quite simple, comprising only three ingredients: milk, sugar, and a pinch of baking soda. The latter neutralizes the milk’s natural acidity and aids sugar caramelization, imparting its characteristic color—a shiny, velvety brown. While multiple recipes exist, Argentineans worldwide find ways to recreate their childhood’s distinctive flavor with available ingredients and utensils. Making it with the original recipe is a multi-hour process requiring patience and attention. It involves semi-constant stirring in a figure-eight pattern with a wooden spoon to prevent burning or sticking, allowing one to savor the texture and color changes leading to the final dulce de leche stage. Whether oven-baked, slow-cooked, with additional ingredients, or single-ingredient versions, here are our favorites to try based on your time, ingredients, tools, and enthusiasm for active involvement in the process.
Here are some of our favorite Dulce de Leche Recipes:
What is Dulce de Leche Used For?
It’s no exaggeration to say that dulce de leche is ubiquitous in the Argentinean diet, instantly evoking childhood memories for any Argentinean starting the day with toasted bread spread with butter (or cream cheese) and dulce de leche. The quintessential birthday cake comprises layers of dulce de leche with meringue, peach chunks, or strawberries. A fundamental Argentinean dessert, the “Chocotorta,” boasts dulce de leche as its primary ingredient. Cherished for its simplicity and delightful flavor. It’s also the most common filling for a traditional treat, alfajores (a sandwich-like pastry made with dulce de leche-filled circles of dough, typically coated in chocolate). Dulce de leche fills a significant portion of another staple in Argentinean breakfast and snack culture: pastries, particularly medialunas (an enhanced and more indulgent version of the very french croissant). It’s used in ice creams (Ryan Gosling fell in love with the dulce de leche ice cream from Freddo Ice Cream Parlor, leading to a flavor named in his honor) and enhances virtually all sweet foods we consume. It fills “Churros,” “Bolas de Fraile,” and even its own version of “Empanadas.” There’s no such thing as too much dulce de leche.
