An Argentine larder isn’t complete without a jar of dulce de leche. Like many foodstuffs, it can be bought off the shelf, but the very best of its kind is home-made.

For those who haven’t yet discovered the mouth-watering beauty of dulce de leche, it is a thick caramel of such more-ish quality that few people can be trusted to be left alone with a pot and a teaspoon. 

The good news for sweet-toothed readers is that Chef Aaron of Awasi Iguazu, our Relais & Chateaux lodge in Northern Argentina, has decided to share his recipe.

Be warned, this is not a quick process as the milk and sugar take several hours to caramelise. Also, you may have to adapt the quantities unless you are looking to make 4 litres of this delicious sweet caramel – it makes a great gift for friends, just pour into a jam jar and tie with a ribbon. 

Awasi Dulce de Leche 

  • 8 litres milk (full fat)
  • 2,8 kg sugar
  • 1,2 kg glucose
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 30 ml sodium bicarbonate / baking soda 

N.B. This makes about 4 litres of dulce de leche

Directions: 

  • Stir the ingredients together in a big cooking pot over medium heat (except for the baking soda, which should be added once the glucose is fully dissolved).
  • Stir frequently with a wooden spoon.
  • It is ideal to use double bottom pots or (pro tip!) glass marbles to avoid burning the caramel.
  • The mixture should be brought to a slow simmer for at least 2-3 hours. Cook until desired consistency is reached. Beware, it will always be a bit more liquid while hot.
  • After 2-3 hours, you can check this by smearing small spoons of the mixture onto a cold dish, as the DDL will always a bit more solid in cold temperature. It should not drip.
  • Once the desired consistency is achieved, remove from heat, strain to get rid of any lumps or marbles, and put into individual jars.
    Cool until consumption.

Serving Suggestions

Some favourite ways of devouring dulce de leche include on hot buttered toast, in the middle of a cake or pastry (imagine inside a croissant), to flavour homemade ice cream, drizzled over fresh fruit, or with a teaspoon straight from the pot at 2am.

A staple of Awasi Iguazu’s kitchen, this dessert features two iconic Argentine ingredients: dulce de leche ice cream and yerba mate cream. Chef Aaron accompanies it with a crunchy cashew biscuit.