PREP: 10 minutes SLOW COOK: 10 hours MAKES: 2½ cups
2 14-oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
1. Spoon milk evenly among four half-pint canning jars.* Adjust lids and screw bands. Place in a 4-qt. round slow cooker with straight sides. Add water to cover jars by 1 inch. Cover and cook on low 10 to 11 hours. Carefully remove jars to a wire rack or kitchen towel to cool (canning tongs work well here). Store jars in the refrigerator up to 1 month. Warm before serving.
*Recipe Note: For a 6-qt. slow cooker, prepare as directed, except divide the milk among six 4-oz. canning jars.
Chile Dulce de Leche: Prepare as directed, except stir 1 tsp. ground ancho or chipotle chile pepper into milk before adding to jars.
Cinnamon Dulce de Leche: Prepare as directed, except stir 1 tsp. ground cinnamon into milk before adding to jars.
Espresso Dulce de Leche: Prepare as directed, except stir 1 tsp. instant espresso powder into milk before adding to jars.
Orange Dulce de Leche: Prepare as directed, except stir 2 tsp. orange zest into milk before adding to jars.
PER 1 TBSP. SAUCE, PLAIN OR VARIATIONS: 64 cal., 2 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 7 mg chol., 25 mg sodium, 11 g carb., 0 g fiber, 2 g pro.
Sweetened condensed milk is a thick mixture of concentrated milk and sugar.
Divide sweetened condensed milk between the canning jars.