Dulce de leche

So I came across a recipe for Dulce de Leche rice pudding on a baking blog that I read. That sure sounds good, huh? The first ingredient on the list was 1 can dulce de leche, homemade or store bought. Now how do you make a can of dulce de leche at home? I clicked the link to her instruction page and walked right out and got in the car and drove to the store. I ended up buying evaporated milk, which is very very different than condensed milk, and had to go back. Not the worst trip in the world, however, I got to pop by the marina with my Dad and visit his sailboat. It was a lovely evening after a day of rain.

So, to put it mildly, I had apprehensions about boiling un opened cans on the stove. Being the brave soul that I am, however, I persevered. The results, incredible.

The cans go in cold water in a big pot

12 hours later, or so

I am going to make myself sick eating this! Time to put the spoon away. 

Possibly I should have waited until after breakfast to open this, but I was too excited. It was the absolute first thing I did when I got out of bed. Mmm, it's so good. Soooooo good!

Yesterday was a kind of vacation hump where, as Kim put it, we all kind of hit a wall. I have been going non stop since arriving and it finally caught up with me. A nice late afternoon nap and some fresh air helped out, then a long, long sleep. I wake today to an empty house, unless you count my three new best friends! A needed bit of quiet time before I get going again!

After about a hundred tries, I got all three of them in the frame!

Chip

Dale

Not a chance of getting a Katala portrait- she doesn't like the camera?

 Anyway, let's catch up with yesterday's pie.
Shannon came over after I got back from the store, she had cherries that she had cooked with sugar and frozen. Thawed now, we thickened them up and made little turnovers. Possibly not the right dough choice, either that or the ones we cooked were a bit over baked. I did forget about them.... there were a few other things going on! We only baked a few, the rest went in the freezer for future pie cravings!

Oh, and blueberry zucchini bread!

Homemade Dulce de leche

1 can- or more if you wish- condensed milk ( not evaporated milk!) label removed

Huge pot, 8 qt is what I used

Water

Time

So, this takes a while, it may be beneficial to do as many cans as you can fit in your pot. I did 2. Put them in the pot, fill all the way up with cold water, up to about an inch from the top. Put on the stove and bring to a boil. Once it boils, reduce heat to keep it simmering, partially cover, and let it go for 2 1/2 hours. Add more hot water if you need to, the cans need to be well under water the whole time. After the 2 1/2 hours, pull it off the heat and let the cans sit in the water until completely cool. Store your leftovers at room temp. 

I'll get the zucchini bread recipe from Shan and have it up later. Speaking of Shannon, here's a few pics I forgot from the other night!