Jack’s Kitchen – Confiture de Lait: Dulce de Leche

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one
has not dined well” Virginia Woolf

Each month Jack Bell from Lumb Bank shares one of his delicious recipes to inspire both writers imagination and their taste buds.

Jack grew up in Hebden Bridge, and has worked in the catering industry for many years both in Yorkshire and France. He is passionate about food and cooking, and loves to make sure the writers at Lumb Bank are well fed during their stay.

Happy writing, cooking and eating.

Confiture de Lait: Dulce de Leche

A monthly recipe from Lumb Bank’s kitchen

Ingredients

2 litres of whole milk (1/2 gallon)
500g sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 vanilla pods (optional*)

Preparation

Add milk, sugar, soda and salt into a pot large enough that there are a few inches between the level of the milk and the top of the pot. Cut the vanilla pods lengthwise, scrape the seeds from the pods and add everything into the pot. Turn the heat to medium high, whisk or stir the mixture constantly until it comes to a full boil. Turn the heat down to a low simmer, and continue to cook, uncovered, for 3 hours. When in doubt, turn the heat lower. If the heat is too high your milk will boil over and develop a rough skin on top, which won’t dissolve no matter how much you whisk later. Whereas when the heat is too low you’ll just have to cook it longer, no harm done.

Check the consistency of your confiture at about 2.5 hours. The consistency you are looking for is a loose caramel. (The confiture will thickens a bit after it cools.) This batch took just over three hours to reach the consistency I like. When it gets there, remove the vanilla pods, whisk the confiture until smooth. Pour into small jars and let cool. When the confiture cools down completely, put the lid on the jars and keep in the fridge.

Don’t ask me how long it keeps. I have no idea. I’m sure it’ll all be gone before it goes bad anyhow.

*The classic Dulce de Leche doesn’t have vanilla in it, but the classic Confiture de Lait does. I adore the beautiful flecks of vanilla in my confiture and love the aroma it adds to it. Whether you add it to yours is entirely up to you.