Dulce De Leche

Total Time: 4 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 5 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Recipe

• 1 place the milk in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
• 2 bring to a boil and allow skin to form on top.
• 3 do not stir.
• 4 the skin will thicken and puff up.
• 5 reduce heat to medium and remove the skin.
• 6 increase heat to medium-high and repeat the process 3 times.
• 7 add the sugar and vanilla bean, and stir until the sugar has melted, about 2 minutes.
• 8 reduce heat to low and stir in the baking soda.
• 9 simmer milk, stirring often, but taking care not to break the film of cooked milk forming, on the inside of the pan.
• 10 simmer, skimming the foam (not skin) until reduced by half, about 1 hour.
• 11 reduce the heat to very low and simmer for another 3 and 1/2 hours, stirring and skimming foam occasionally.
• 12 the mixture will brown as it cooks.
• 13 strain the completely cooked mixture through a sieve into a bowl, cover and refrigerate.