Does anyone use the premade (Nestle? I think) Dulce de Leche for filling? I bought it once but I seem to recall it has the consistency of yogurt. Can you thicken it somehow? I know many make their own by boiling for condensed milk for a few hours, but I'm too chicken to try that.

There are 2 different products from Nestle. There is dulce de leche and dulce de lucerna (sp?). The lucerna is much thicker. HTH

There is a new way to do it in the boiling process... it only takes a few minutes. I'm sorry I can't place the thread on it right now but I do recall reading it somewhere maybe it wasn't here but I do recall it saying you empty it into the bowl/pot and cook for like 15 mins or so...

Also Hershey's makes a syrup now. It's Dulce de Leche used to make caramel milk like chocolate milk... I bought that to use with cake balls but haven't used it as of yet so I don't know if it'll work for fillings or not....

I have used the Nestle several times in the past few months, and mine do not have a yogurt consistency, but that of a thick paste, like tomato paste. What I mean is that, unlike yogurt, which softens as you stir it, I have not had that happen with the Nestle brand. Maybe what I bought was older stock. I am sure that it can be thickened further, on the stove top over low heat.

I agree with you about not boiling the can of sweetened milk. It is not something I would do, either.

I thought someone had posted information on making caramel from sweetened milk, by microwaving or stove top, but I cannot find info on it in my desktop archives. Sorry, I thought I had saved the info.

Does anyone recall a threadlike this?

Theresa

I have used the Nestle several times in the past few months, and mine do not have a yogurt consistency, but that of a thick paste, like tomato paste. What I mean is that, unlike yogurt, which softens as you stir it, I have not had that happen with the Nestle brand. Maybe what I bought was older stock. I am sure that it can be thickened further, on the stove top over low heat.

I agree with you about not boiling the can of sweetened milk. It is not something I would do, either.

I thought someone had posted information on making caramel from sweetened milk, by microwaving or stove top, but I cannot find info on it in my desktop archives. Sorry, I thought I had saved the info.

Does anyone recall a threadlike this?

Theresa

boil condensed milk (in can) for 3-4 hours making sure that can is covered with water the entire time..top up water as necessary....let cool and then enjoy!
Works great...can't find the link but I have done it.

Thanks for the responses! I picked up La Lechera last night becuase that's the only kind they had.
JaneK - I'm too nervous to boil a can of condensed milk - when I was a kid I witnessed my mom's pressure cooker explode - not a pretty sight!

La Lechera from Nestle, need to read the can one is condensed milk and the other should say Dulce de Leche cajeta,arequipe,fanguito,manjar,caramel.
The second is correct. I always have to buy two cans, one for cake and one for honey who eats the stuff out of the can with a spoon!

Here is a picture of the can

Thank you so much dolfin & shabbychic! The one I picked up yesterday (the only one they had) was sweetened condensed milk. I went to another store today that has a more Latino clientele and they had both kinds. Guess I need to brush up on my Spanish
Thanks a million!

You are wellcome, I love dulce de leche!! I'm glad that you were able to find it, let us know how your cake turns out!

Stupid question: Do you have to open or vent the can before you boil it?

no don't do anything to the can but keep it at a steady slow boil and the can covered with water for 3-4 hours

Copied this from Eagle Brand's site and posted this here. Same result and definitely much safer. Please don't risk exploding cans of Eagle Brand.

Quote:
For an easy caramel topping or dip, simply heat Eagle Brand® using the following directions. For safety reasons, heating the unopened can (an old cooking method) is NOT recommended. Instead use one of the following methods.

OVEN METHOD; Pour 1 can Eagle Brand® sweetened condensed milk into 9 inch pie plate. Cover with aluminum foil; place in larger shallow pan. Fill larger pan with hot water. Bake at 425º for 1 1/2 hours or until thick and caramel colored.

STOVETOP METHOD; Pour 1 can Eagle Brand® sweetened condensed milk into top of double boiler; place over boiling water. Over low heat, simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until thick and caramel colored. Beat until smooth.

MICROWAVE METHOD; Pour 1 can Eagle Brand® sweetened condensed milk into 2-quart glass measuring cup. Cook on 50% power (medium) 4 minutes, stirring briskly every 2 minutes until smooth. Cook on 30% power (medium-low) 20 to 26 minutes or until very thick and caramel-colored, stirring briskly every 4 minutes during the first 16 minutes and every 2 minutes the last 4 to 10 minutes.

CAUTION: NEVER HEAT UNOPENED CAN.

I've seen that La Lechera. What does it taste like? Is it caramel?

I made a chocolate cake and haven't decided on a filling yet. Would this go with it?

It is a caramel flavor with a sweetend condensed milk after taste.

I made a chocolate fudge cake using Dulce de Leche along with apple pie filling (added brown sugar,cinnamon and nutmeg to it) between layers then topped with chocolate ganache,walnuts and drizzled some heated dulce de leche on top. Trying to get the chocolate covered apple flavor. It was so good!!! I was afraid it was going to be to sweet but it was just right. You get the caramel flavor but not overly sweet.
Norma

PS: I smeared the dulce de leche between layers and kind of made a dam so apple filling would not leak out, then put the apples on top of that. I put in fridge for 1/2 hour so it would firm up and the layers wouldn't slip.

You guys out thereare lucky! I come from a place where everything is made from scratch.No cake mixes,fondants measured from a teaspoon to the cup,no pre made icing.Our medium for icing are fondants,meringue icing or the boiled icing, and the caramel icing. Nestle's Dulce de Leche is unknown here so we make our own caramel and we never boil unopen cans of milk. Too risky! We cook our caramel from evaporated milk, sugar, flour and butter.It's quite labourious but it's always safer than cooking something you can't even see what's going on inside.

Hi! Can anybody tell me if the canned Dulce de leche needs to be refrigerated after it is opened? I want to use it as a cake filling but the cake needs to be covered in fondant which I know can be a problem due to condensation. THANKS SO MUCH FOR ANY HELP!