Dulce de Leche is a creamy milk based caramel that can be used for dips, desserts, and as a topping for other treats. This is a quick one ingredient instant pot version so you don’t have to slave away at the stove!
If you’ve never tried dulce de leche before, you’re missing out on the most delectable, finger licking caramel sauce ever. Instant pot dulce de leche is a quicker version than using the stove or a slow cooker. A slow cooker takes 8-10 hours , and the stove top takes 3-4 hours once the water is boiling, not to mention you have to watch it and pour more water in the pot to make sure the water level doesn’t get too low. This version only takes 35-40 minutes. 😍
You could make it on the stove top in the can, but I’ve never been a fan of opening hot cans…I’m afraid of them exploding, which can happen if the water level gets too low on a stove top.
I usually make one or two jars at a time, with a jar filled with water as a placeholder so the others don’t tip over.
Alton Brown has a homemade recipe made with normal milk that takes a few hours, if you’re a purist and insist on going that route. I like to know the cool bits when I’m cooking, and he mentions some interesting things, like changing the pH (he adds baking soda to his recipe) promotes browning in foods.
After consulting my friendly online search engine, I found out that the reaction between proteins (amino acids) and reducing sugars is known as the Maillard reaction, and causes the browning in foods and gives dulce de leche it’s fabulous dark brown color.
Anyways. It’s way easier(and faster!) to do it in a pressure cooker. This stuff is liquid gold. I made a delicious dessert with it, I’ll post it soon! In the meantime, you can make the Maple Caramel Glaze for my Cinnamon Apple Scones with this!
Instant Pot Dulce de Leche
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 3 pint size glass mason jars
- water for cooking
Instructions
- Fill a mason jar with a can of sweetened condensed milk. You can make up to three jars with three cans of sweetened condensed milk in a batch. Seal the top of the jar with a lid tightly, so no water leaks into it.
- If only making one jar, fill the other two jars with water as place holders so the jar of condensed milk doesn’t tip over. These jars do not need lids.
- Place the jars inside the instant pot on top of the metal trivet. Fill the instant pot to the lower rim of the mason jars with water.
- Cover and lock the lid of the instant pot/pressure cooker and turn the vent to the closed setting.
- Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes, and quick release the pressure. You may natural release, it will result in darker golden brown and slightly thicker caramel. Cooking for 35 minutes will result in lighter, slightly thinner caramel.
- Remove jars with oven mitts onto a dishtowel to cool. Wait until the jars are cool to the touch before opening. Once opened, store in refrigerator.
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