Kitchen Secrets with Our Cuban Chef – Dulce de Leche Cortada
Dulce de leche cortada cubano is one of the many samples of the exquisiteness of this small land. You know, don’t get rid of the cut milk, take advantage of it and make a delicious Cuban dessert. You don’t need to be an expert in confectionery to create a spectacular dessert.
In Cuba, we have a very rich tradition of confectionery inherited from Spain and the cultivation of sugar cane and tropical fruits. Cubans are very sweet! The fascination for sugar is in our blood!
It is said that this delicious dish is of Cuban origin. Its recipe was born as a gentle option to take advantage of the milk that had been cut for days due to a lack of refrigeration. Because of its tasty sweet and sour taste, it is now part of the culinary tradition of Latin America.
This tasty dessert, which is not at all ostentatious, is enjoyed in many different ways. There are several versions of how to elaborate this sweet, some people use milk already cut from the day before. While there are other cases in which we only add lemon juice to achieve this effect in the milk. In Venezuela, vanilla and raisins are used as a fundamental ingredient, while in Mexico 5 eggs are used to soften the texture of the sweet.
On the other hand, there are those who, in addition to the ingredients mentioned here, add an egg so that the pieces have a softer texture. The truth is that whichever way you do it, the result will always be tasty.
If you like to cook, it is straightforward to prepare this recipe. Its ingredients are very common and it is worth being ecstatic with its flavor. It is ideal to share with the family, the little ones at home will love it. It is fresh, aromatic, and very soft, so get excited to prepare it, it is very easy! On this hot island, it is very popular to eat it cold because it refreshes the soul and the palate.
The recipe we bring you today is a very simple homemade preparation, for which few ingredients are required. It indeed takes some time, but we assure you that it is worth every minute.
HOW IS DULCE DE LECHE CORTADA MADE?
Ingredients:
- 2 liters of whole milk
- 450 grams of sugar (or two cups)
- Juice of 2 large, juicy lemons
- The peel of one lemon
- 1 large cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of rum (optional)
SO HOW TO PREPARE DULCE DE LECHE CORTADA?
- The first thing to do is to look for a tall pot, mainly because milk tends to rise during cooking. If the pot is elevated, you can have more control to avoid spilling.
- Add the milk to the pot and then add the lemon juice little by little and well distributed throughout the milk. It is important to do it this way because once you add the lemon juice you should not stir the mixture.
- After 10 minutes, bring the pot to high heat and add the cinnamon and the lemon peel. Be very careful when peeling the lemons to remove the white part of the peel, as this has a very bitter taste that will damage the recipe.
- Let it boil without stirring. Soon you will see that only large lumps and whey remain from the milk. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium.
- If you see that the milk rises, just remove the pot from the heat for a moment and put it back on when it settles. Don’t worry, this will only happen at the beginning of the cooking process.
- The boiling time of the dulce de leche cortada depends on the heat, the power of the stove, and the type of pot. Generally, it can last from 1 to 2 hours.
- Just let it boil until the mixture takes on a nice brown color and the liquid is noticeably reduced. During this time, you will only have to stir it from time to time.
- Now the most delicate part of the preparation is approaching. In this part, you must stir continuously to avoid burning. This is the moment in the recipe when the caramelization of the sugar takes place and the sugar runs the risk of burning and damaging the flavor of the candy. You can use the sugar caramelization process to prepare many baking recipes, and learn how to make the caramel by clicking on the link.
- If you wish, it is time to add the rum and vanilla. It is not traditional to use these ingredients, but some family recipes contemplate them. You can try them and, if you like them, save them for your traditional homemade recipe.
- The dulce de leche cut without eggs should be moist enough, so turn it off when you can see the bottom of the pot when mixing the dulce. Remove the cinnamon rind and lemon zest.
- Let cool completely and take to the refrigerator. You can eat your dulce de leche on its own or with bread and sweet or savory cookies, it will be delicious for an afternoon when you are craving a simple, homemade sweet treat!
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