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Cajeta de Celaya
Celaya's goat's milk caramel, the Mexican cousin of dulce de leche
Celaya, in the Bajío of Guanajuato, has made cajeta for centuries, once packing it into little wooden boxes (cajetes) that gave it its name. It is caramel cooked from goat's milk, so it is looser and has a gentle tang compared with the cow's-milk dulce de leche of Argentina. Mexicans spread it on crêpes and churros, pour it over ice cream, sandwich it between obleas (wafers) and turn it into glorias. A splash of rum-flavoured 'envinada' cajeta exists, but this one is plain and alcohol-free. Chef's tip: use a pan at least three times the volume of the milk; it foams high when the bicarbonate goes in.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 4 ¼ cups goat's milk, 9 oz sugar and 1 cinnamon stick in a large, heavy pan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
8 minStep 2: Take the pan off the heat and stir in ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda; the milk will foam up. Return to the heat once it settles.
Step 3: Simmer uncovered over a medium-low heat for about 70–80 minutes, stirring every few minutes and more often as it darkens, until it is a deep amber caramel that coats the back of a spoon. Common mistake: leaving it alone at the end; it thickens suddenly and scorches on the base.
80 minStep 4: Test a drop on a cold plate: when cool it should flow slowly, like honey. Take out the cinnamon and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Step 5: Pour into a clean jar. It thickens as it cools. Keep in the fridge for up to a month and warm gently to make it runny again.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cajeta de Celaya take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of goat's milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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