You have a jar of dulce de leche in the pantry. Here are twelve ways to use it beyond staring at it with a spoon at midnight, ranked from easiest to most impressive.
Quick answer. The easiest three uses. Spread thickly on hot buttered toast. Layer between two shortbread biscuits to make an instant alfajor. Swirl through vanilla ice cream. Everything else in this list is a step up in effort with a bigger payoff.
1. Dulce de leche on toast (the Argentinian breakfast)
Hot toast. Cold butter. Warm dulce de leche spread thickly over both. This is what Argentinians eat before school. The butter is essential (it stops the dulce running and adds fat that carries the flavour).
2. Instant alfajor sandwich
Two shortbread biscuits (Arnott's Butternut Snap, Milk Arrowroot, or plain Anzacs). Tablespoon of dulce de leche between them. Roll the exposed sides in desiccated coconut. Two minutes. Tastes like Argentina.
For the proper baked version see our alfajores recipe.
3. Ice cream swirl
Soften a tub of good vanilla ice cream for 10 minutes. Stir through 3 to 4 tablespoons of dulce de leche in ribbons (do not fully mix). Refreeze for an hour. Better than any commercial caramel ice cream.
4. Banana and dulce de leche toast
Sourdough, sliced banana, thin layer of dulce de leche, sprinkle of flaky salt. Grill under the broiler for 2 minutes until the top caramelises. Weekend brunch tier.
5. Chocotorta (Argentina's national no bake cake)
The most Argentinian dessert after alfajores. Layer chocolate biscuits dipped briefly in coffee (or milk for kids) with a filling of 250g cream cheese beaten with 400g dulce de leche. Repeat 3 to 4 layers. Refrigerate overnight. Serves 8. This is the birthday cake of a generation.
6. Cheesecake swirl
Dollop 6 to 8 tablespoons of dulce de leche across the top of an unbaked cheesecake. Drag a knife through in figure eights. Bake or set as normal. Adds instant caramel complexity without changing the base recipe.
7. Coffee latte drizzle
Stir a teaspoon of dulce de leche into the bottom of a warm mug. Pour espresso over. Add hot milk. The dulce dissolves as you stir and delivers a caramel latte richer than any coffee shop version. Try it in cold brew for summer.
8. Brownie fudge alternative
Skip the caramel sauce in a brownie recipe. Instead, drop teaspoons of dulce de leche across the batter before baking and swirl with a skewer. The dulce stays soft and gooey inside the brownie for days.
9. Pancake or crepe topping
Warm dulce de leche in the microwave for 15 seconds so it pours. Drizzle over pancakes or panqueques (Argentinian thin crepes) with a squeeze of lemon and dust of icing sugar. Add sliced strawberries in summer.
10. Apple pie drizzle (or salted caramel replacement)
Warm dulce de leche, add a pinch of flaky salt, drizzle over apple pie, apple crumble or roasted pears. Works anywhere a recipe calls for salted caramel and takes 30 seconds instead of 20 minutes.
11. Panna cotta layer
Pour a thin layer of dulce de leche into the bottom of your panna cotta moulds before adding the cream mixture. When you unmould, the dulce sits on top as a glossy caramel cap. Zero extra work.
12. Arroz con leche stir in
Argentinian rice pudding with a spoonful of dulce de leche stirred in at the end. Add a cinnamon stick during the cooking, top with grated lemon zest, serve warm. The purest childhood memory food from the region.
Bonus: dulce de leche truffles
Reduce dulce de leche in a pan for 5 minutes with a knob of butter until firmer. Cool completely. Roll teaspoons into balls. Coat in cocoa powder or desiccated coconut. Refrigerate. Serve with coffee after dinner.
Storage and quantities
| How much you need | What it makes |
|---|---|
| 2 tbsp | Alfajor sandwich (2 biscuits) |
| 3 to 4 tbsp | Ice cream swirl (500ml tub) |
| 200g | Cheesecake swirl (24cm) |
| 400g | Chocotorta filling (serves 8) |
| 1 tsp | Coffee latte |
Standard commercial jar is 400 to 450g. That is enough for one chocotorta or two lots of alfajores or a fortnight of morning toasts. Refrigerate after opening.
The complete Argentinian sweet spread. If you are hosting for dessert, put dulce de leche on toast in the middle, alfajores on a plate, a bowl of Franui (frozen raspberries in white chocolate) and a French press of strong coffee. That is a proper Argentinian merienda.
FAQ
Can I bake with dulce de leche in place of caramel?
Yes for softer applications (fillings, swirls, glazes). Less good for hard caramel work (candy, tuiles) because the milk content changes the setting behaviour.
Can I freeze dulce de leche?
Yes. Freezes well in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, stir to restore consistency.
Is Nutella similar to dulce de leche?
No. Nutella is hazelnut and cocoa paste. Dulce de leche is caramelised milk. Both are spreadable brown pastes but the flavours are entirely different. Try them side by side on toast to see.
Does dulce de leche work in savoury cooking?
Occasionally. A teaspoon in a beef marinade adds depth (Korean bulgogi style). In BBQ sauce it substitutes for brown sugar. In salad dressing with lime and chilli it makes a Latin American slaw dressing. Not traditional but interesting.
What is the best way to warm dulce de leche without ruining it?
Microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring between. Or place the jar in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes. Do not overheat, it separates.
0 comments