Dulce de leche, also known as milk caramel, is absolutely delicious and rich. However, you can often only buy it in large jars, which sometimes leaves you with a lot of extra after you make that one recipe you've been planning. What can you do with all this extra milk caramel? Here are a few ideas.
1. Turn it into salted caramel sauce
Have you drizzled milk caramel over everything and enjoyed it, but now you're feeling a little burned out on the flavor? An easy way to change things up is to turn it into salted caramel sauce. Pour about two cups of the dulce de leche into a small saucepan, and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. (If you really like things salty, you can add 1/2 teaspoon, but be aware — it will be intense.) Bring the caramel up to a warm temperature, but not so hot that it boils. Keep stirring and stirring so that the salt dissolves. Let the sauce cool, and use it on ice cream, cake, and other treats for a new type of enjoyment.
2. Make homemade ice cream
Instead of drizzling the caramel over ice cream, why not make your own caramel-flavored ice cream? It's a lot simpler than you think, and you don't even need an ice cream maker. You'll need:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup dulce de leche
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
Begin by whipping the heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer until soft peaks form. Then, add the salt and vanilla extract, and continually drizzle in the dulce de leche in while you continue to mix on low. When the ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture has the texture of a thick whipped cream, transfer it to a covered bowl and place it in the freezer for at least 6 hours. Enjoy!
3. Make caramel brownies
This one is really easy. All you need is your favorite brownie mix and the ingredients the package calls for — usually oil, eggs, and water. Mix up the brownie batter according to package instructions, and then swirl in about 1/4 cup of the dulce de leche. Don't mix too much; you want caramel swirls. Bake the brownies according to package instructions, and let them cool before you enjoy them.
There are so many delicious ways to use up extra dulce de leche. It will be gone before you know it! If you want to buy dulce de leche for any recipes, look for it at specialty food stores.