dulce de leche

Dulce De Leche Coffee Creamer

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dulce de leche coffee creamer

In my craving for spring I’ve also been having a huge craving for iced coffee. Unbelievably, we’ve been having very mild weather the last couple of weeks and it has increased my cravings that much more.

There’s something so satisfying and refreshing about an iced coffee, especially with such a delicious flavour as dulce de leche. It’s a nice treat to have in the middle of the day when my little girl’s napping and my son’s quietly coloring at the table. A moment of blissful reprieve from the business of the day.

This recipe is really complicated so prepare yourself. JK! It’s two ingredients warmed together until they become one. It doesn’t get much easier then that. Although, If you wanted to get really crazy you could add a bit of sea salt for a salted dulce de leche coffee creamer or some cocoa powder for a caramel mocha type creamer. Oh dear, I think I’ve just talked myself into it. Time to make another batch of dulce de leche so I can experiment.

Dulce De Leche Coffee Creamer

You can make this as low-fat as you like, keeping in mind that it won’t be as creamy. You can also use non-dairy substitutes such as almond milk in place of the half and half.

  • 2 cups half and half cream (milk, or milk substitute)
  • 1/2 cup dulce de leche

Place cream and dulce de leche in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk until mixture is steaming and smooth. Allow to cool before storing, covered, in the fridge.

To serve, stir desired amount into hot or iced coffee.

Makes: 2.5 cups

Slow Cooker Dulce De Leche

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slow cooker dulce de leche

Dulce de leche is one of those things that always seemed super simple to make but for one reason or another I kept putting off actually making it. For those who are unfamiliar with dulce de leche (don’t ask me to pronounce it, I get it wrong every time), it is basically a cheat’s caramel – sweetened milk is heated slowly until the sugars in the milk caramelize and the milk thickens.

There are slightly different ways to make it, but the most common in North America is to use a can of sweetened condensed milk for a more hands off approach. And, the most dangerous (yes, dangerous! Oooo) way to make it, is to boil an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of water. The reason this is potentially unsafe is because if the water boils down too low the can may overheat and explode. Lovely.

I don’t particularly like the thought of boiling something in a metal can anyways, which is probably the biggest reason it took me so long to take the plunge. But, when I saw a slow cooker version that used canning jars instead, I did a happy dance. It all seemed so simple and safe, and I just love finding new ways to use my canning jars (and slow cooker!).

S0, I give you a super simple dulce de leche that is as hands off as it gets and gives you a thick caramel that is just waiting to be swirled into ice cream, sandwiched between cookies, stirred into hot drinks, spread into tart shells, or spooned onto whatever your little heart desires! If you’ve never made it before, I am here to say, do not make the same mistake as me. What are you waiting for?

P.S. If you need one more reason to make this, I’ll be sharing a special treat that uses dulce de leche next week. Better be prepared!

Slow Cooker Dulce De Leche

  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Pour the contents of the sweetened condensed milk into a 1.5- 2 cup canning jar; tighten the lid securely. Place in the bottom of a slow cooker, fill with hot water until the water level is at least an inch above the milk. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until caramelized and thickened to your liking.

Adapted from A Beautiful Mess