NationStates Jolt Archive

its coming up on christmas and that leads us all to think of times past and the extra special foods of those times.

i was at my neices house and she mentioned that she bought a can of sweetened condensed milk and was thinking of making it into caramel.

she remembers when she was a pre-schooler and a friend of the family made SCM caramels and that they were the best most wonderful treats ever. she hasnt had them since then...30 years ago--but she remembers them as the best treat of her whole life.

the thing is you boil it in the unopened can (in water) for several hours, cool it off, and VOILA! its caramel. amazingly wonderful delicious caramel.

the downside being that boiling an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk can cause it to explode, spraying the kitchen and potentially yourself in boiling hot goo.

we have discussed ways to mitigate the danger--a very large pot with lots of extra water so that the can is always fully immersed in water, a prop on the bottom of the pot to hold the can off the flame-heated metal, keeping the cover on, letting it cool down in the pot. in theory the only truly dangerous moment would be getting close enough to the boiling pot to turn the fire off. that moment has no reason to be more likely than any other for the can to explode, if it ever would.

would you do this?

by which i mean "would YOU do this?". its obviously a fairly unwise thing to try.

are there other dangerous things that you do even though you know its kinda stupid to do them?

I do that all the time, Ash. It's called 'manjar' in Chile, when you boil the can until the condensed milk becomes caramel. It's also known as dulce de leche...Hagaan Daaz has a great ice-cream that uses it.

It's safe, as long as you keep the can always covered in water...so you keep having to fill up the pot. It takes about three hours.

However, many Latin American stores will sell you the finished product in nice jars, so you don't really have to do it. Even the more 'conventional' supermarkets I shop at now sell this product.

you do it without opening the can?

i looked it up on the net and saw people who claimed to have had it explode on them...not that i understand why it would explode rather than have a seam split and it all ooze out....

its coming up on christmas and that leads us all to think of times past and the extra special foods of those times.

i was at my neices house and she mentioned that she bought a can of sweetened condensed milk and was thinking of making it into caramel.

she remembers when she was a pre-schooler and a friend of the family made SCM caramels and that they were the best most wonderful treats ever. she hasnt had them since then...30 years ago--but she remembers them as the best treat of her whole life.

the thing is you boil it in the unopened can (in water) for several hours, cool it off, and VOILA! its caramel. amazingly wonderful delicious caramel.

the downside being that boiling an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk can cause it to explode, spraying the kitchen and potentially yourself in boiling hot goo.

we have discussed ways to mitigate the danger--a very large pot with lots of extra water so that the can is always fully immersed in water, a prop on the bottom of the pot to hold the can off the flame-heated metal, keeping the cover on, letting it cool down in the pot. in theory the only truly dangerous moment would be getting close enough to the boiling pot to turn the fire off. that moment has no reason to be more likely than any other for the can to explode, if it ever would.

would you do this?

by which i mean "would YOU do this?". its obviously a fairly unwise thing to try.

are there other dangerous things that you do even though you know its kinda stupid to do them?
If it's that much of a worry... camp stove.... outside.

I do quite a few things that I know are dangerous. Like putting up the Christmas Lights on my house. Such involves climbing about 60 feet up on a ladder, and then leaning to either side. Last year we just left them up so we wouldn't have to do this anymore.

you do it without opening the can?

i looked it up on the net and saw people who claimed to have had it explode on them...not that i understand why it would explode rather than have a seam split and it all ooze out....

Yes, you do it without opening the can.

Never ever use a pressure cooker to do it.

I've done it many, many, many times, and so have my out-laws...only once did a can explode, and that was when someone left it too long, and it stopped being covered in water.

It depends on how much pressure you let build in the can and how quickly it builds......hence why the "safe" (I'm using that term loosely) way takes 3 hours.

when it exploded, how far did the goo go?

If it's that much of a worry... camp stove.... outside.

I do quite a few things that I know are dangerous. Like putting up the Christmas Lights on my house. Such involves climbing about 60 feet up on a ladder, and then leaning to either side. Last year we just left them up so we wouldn't have to do this anymore.
that stuff is so scary too me! i cant even be outside if my husband is going to go up a ladder--even a short one.

when it exploded, how far did the goo go?

Let's say it was lucky no one was there when it went. Oh yeah, and this was in the pressure cooker, so when it blew, the lid hit the ceiling with such force it actually cracked the plaster. The manjar was EVERYWHERE. It would have seriously burned anyone standing anywhere near the kitchen.

Yes, you do it without opening the can.

Never ever use a pressure cooker to do it.

I've done it many, many, many times, and so have my out-laws...only once did a can explode, and that was when someone left it too long, and it stopped being covered in water.

What about doing it in a pot with a lid? The lid would allow more of the water to recondense, meaning less time near the pot, and the lid would help to contain any explosion...no?

What about doing it in a pot with a lid? The lid would allow more of the water to recondense, meaning less time near the pot, and the lid would help to contain any explosion...no?

I always do it without the lid so I can always see how much water is in there. It's easy to get doing something else, and forget to fill it up.

found several other ways to make it:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Dulce-De-Leche

Hm, who'd have thought boiling milk would make caramel?

I wouldn't do this, but I'm perfectly willing to have someone else do it for me.

Yes, I would. Just to see the can explode however. Afterwards I would go and buy some caramel... and a new kitchen.

I always do it without the lid so I can always see how much water is in there. It's easy to get doing something else, and forget to fill it up.
hmmmm we're at high altitude--4500 ft 1400 meters-- so the water boils at a lower temperature. do you think that that would have an effect on cooking time?

anyway thanks for the info (smunkee too). id try it now but its my neices fond memory. ill pass the info on to her and see if she still wants to try it.

I always do it without the lid so I can always see how much water is in there. It's easy to get doing something else, and forget to fill it up.

Ahh...makes sense. Though, if I make this at my parents house, they have glass lids. This could work. Or, you know, the recipe that won't explode anyway ;)

I always do it without the lid so I can always see how much water is in there. It's easy to get doing something else, and forget to fill it up.
hmmmm we're at high altitude--4500 ft 1400 meters-- so the water boils at a lower temperature. do you think that that would have an effect on cooking time?

anyway thanks for the info (smunkee too). id try it now but its my neices fond memory. ill pass the info on to her and see if she still wants to try it.

Ahh...makes sense. Though, if I make this at my parents house, they have glass lids. This could work. Or, you know, the recipe that won't explode anyway ;)
yeah but i think that the wonder of opening the can of sweetened condensed milk and taking out a lump of caramel similar to de-canning cranberry sauce is part of the fond memory.

yeah but i think that the wonder of opening the can of sweetened condensed milk and taking out a lump of caramel similar to de-canning cranberry sauce is part of the fond memory.

I never did like that cranberry sauce much...


And I'm sure my mom would really appreciate it if I didn't coat her kitchen in scalding hot caramel sauce

I never did like that cranberry sauce much...


And I'm sure my mom would really appreciate it if I didn't coat her kitchen in scalding hot caramel sauce
yeah that is a pretty big downside. almost as bad as the burns from a faceful of boiling hot caramel.

found several other ways to make it:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Dulce-De-Leche
Those methods appear to be the way to go and apparently conflict with most of the personal "evidence" already posted.

While this make seem like a great treat, it would appear that the effort required may make it somewhat impractical (time/cost of energy) to do so, especially if you can buy it in the stores.

yeah that is a pretty big downside. almost as bad as the burns from a faceful of boiling hot caramel.

Now that's what I call fond family memories :)

My family has rules against going to the ER on holidays...I'm not sure if scald wounds could hold overnight.

Now that's what I call fond family memories :)

My family has rules against going to the ER on holidays...I'm not sure if scald wounds could hold overnight.
yeah

but if its easy to avoid the whole explosion thing by paying attention to the water level in the pot, its ..... worth thinking about.

As Neesika said, that is fairly common here.

I didn't know it was known as manjar in Chile, here its called "Dulce de Leche". (Milk sweet), and in Colombia is faaaaiirly spread, with the name "Arequipe".

I used to make that at home, in a pressurized pot. (you know those, I guess?). However, it is tiresome to clean all the pot afterwards, and the already made stuff that is easily available anywhere around here has a really good quality, if you pick the right brand, and its also generally cheap. (I'm lazy at this age). So now I just buy it.

We use in cakes, as syrup, and for other uses too. Usually it competes with Nutella.

Arequipe pancakes or waffles are just awesome.

While this make seem like a great treat, it would appear that the effort required may make it somewhat impractical (time/cost of energy) to do so, especially if you can buy it in the stores. That's why I make at least three cans at a time. The manjar doesn't go bad, as long as you don't open the can after boiling. I'm cheap with sugary treats, so it lasts.

As Neesika said, that is fairly common here.

I didn't know it was known as manjar in Chile, here its called "Dulce de Leche". (Milk sweet), and in Colombia is faaaaiirly spread, with the name "Arequipe".

I used to make that at home, in a pressurized pot. (you know those, I guess?). However, it is tiresome to clean all the pot afterwards, and the already made stuff that is easily available anywhere around here has a really good quality, if you pick the right brand, and its also generally cheap. (I'm lazy at this age). So now I just buy it.

We use in cakes, as syrup, and for other uses too. Usually it competes with Nutella.

Arequipe pancakes or waffles are just awesome.

Torta de mil hojas (http://diariodecocina.blogspot.com/2007/01/torta-de-mil-hojas.html). *orgasms*

Also, I love crepes with manjar. My kids eat it by the spoonful right out of the can if I don't watch them.

Torta de mil hojas. (http://diariodecocina.blogspot.com/2007/01/torta-de-mil-hojas.html) *orgasms*

That looks like it should be illegal..

That looks like it should be illegal..

That's the non-child friendly version with pisco...you can make it with cognac or brandy too.

It's.......well just imagine.

That's the non-child friendly version with pisco...you can make it with cognac or brandy too.

It's.......well just imagine.

Wtf? Why don't we have it here. I want.

Ooooh, milojas!

(We call it milojas)

Hojaldre + Arequipe = Absolute win.

I couldn't stop a kid to eat it by the spoonful, given the fact that I do eat arequipe by the spoonful.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/8/7776235_1a2e5705e3.jpg

Here they sell it to be eaten by spoonfuls, anyway.

my sister just called. the neice's husband wont let her try it at their house so she is going to try it at her mother (my sister's) house.

if you do several cans at once, do you have to keep them from touching each other?

That's the non-child friendly version with pisco...you can make it with cognac or brandy too.

It's.......well just imagine.
how does this recipe look to you?

http://www.recipezaar.com/Cakes-With-Nuts-from-Chile-torta-De-Mil-Hojas-100409

Hm, who'd have thought boiling milk would make caramel?

I wouldn't do this, but I'm perfectly willing to have someone else do it for me.

Well condensed milk has a lot of sugar in it and that is what converts it into caramel. I think I am sure I will be collected.

Another to make it is by cooking sugar, but you can't cook it for to long because then it just becomes burnt sugar.

Keep at least about 3 inches of water over top of the can Ashmoria, I remember doing it once or twice myself.

I don't know about anyone else, but exploding cans of caramel is just about the most awesome thing I've ever heard of this week.

would you do this?http://img.letssingit.com/members/768730/hellyeah_.jpg
Hell yeah.

When I make this at home I use a double pot thing--although I'm not sure why you couldn't just make a hole in the can to allow excess pressure to escape.

There's nothing like a good dose of adult reality to ruin a nostalgic memory; so go for it.

are there other dangerous things that you do even though you know its kinda stupid to do them?

I smoke, I wouldn't call it stupid but I suppose it is dangerous....

I wouldn't have done it until you mentioned that it could explode.

well my sister and neice did this today.

unless it killed them, it did not explode. it was boiling away when i was at her house but still had more than an hour to go. so i came home.

she also tried the crock pot method--pouring the sweetened condensed milk into the crock pot and cooking it on low for 6 to 8 hours--and it seemed to be progressing nicely but it also wasnt done yet.

I smoke, I wouldn't call it stupid but I suppose it is dangerous....
looked at objectively, its stupid.

but, like boiling SCM in the can, it can be compelling enough to do even if it is stupid.

that stuff is so scary too me! i cant even be outside if my husband is going to go up a ladder--even a short one.

My mom never liked watching, either. Especially when my dad was near the very top, leaning out almost all the way off the ladder.

Now that my sister and I have had to do it, we've been convinced by my mom that it's better just to leave them up through the year and only turn them on during christmas season.

My mom never liked watching, either. Especially when my dad was near the very top, leaning out almost all the way off the ladder.

Now that my sister and I have had to do it, we've been convinced by my mom that it's better just to leave them up through the year and only turn them on during christmas season.
i think she's right. just thinking about being at the top of a 60 ft ladder and leaning almost all the way off makes me extremely nervous.

found several other ways to make it:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Dulce-De-Leche

Did this picture remind anybody else of 2girls 1cup?

http://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0d/Ddl4.jpg/180px-Ddl4.jpg