What's the difference between dulce de lechce and caramel
OK. Obviously "de leche" is milk...
But what's the difference between caramel and dulce ?
Any help in clarify this matter is, as always, greatly appreciated:)
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16 Comments:
This is a real "also known as" issue.
Dulce de leche, cajeta, manjar,doce de leite many different names from hispanic and latin american countries; are made from sweetened milk.
Caramel is made from sugar, which can be syrups of different consistencies, if you add some milk or cream to it you get a more solid outcome.
Dulce de leche ("milk sweet"), is a milk-based syrup. Found as both a sauce and a caramel candy, it is prepared by slowly heating sweetened milk to create a product that is similar in taste to caramel.
Cajeta is a Mexican confection of thickened syrup usually made of sweetened caramelized milk
JerzeeTomato at 11:26AM on 01/07/09
As always, JerzeeTomato comes through with a perfectly logical and informative explanation. I sit wide-eyed and eager at your feet and await my next lesson! :o)
juliebugsmama at 11:35AM on 01/07/09
SO is there a difference? Or, does one just sound fancier?
emmawright at 11:45AM on 01/07/09
Here's the skinny:) I'm in the process of naming an AWESOME desert that I made for the holidays. I fused a ginger cake recipe with caramel ice cream. A relative of mine said that I should name the desert "Ginger Dulce de Leche"
BUT is Dulce de Leche confusing? I mean, is it common knowledge the dulce be leche is another term for caramel?:)
Enlighten me Please:)
emmawright at 11:52AM on 01/07/09
But I thought they were different, Carmel is sugar a dulce is cooked milk? Am i wrong? They can be mixed ie milk is in caramel but they ARE different.
love2cook at 12:04PM on 01/07/09
Caramel is melted sugar (caramelized) which turns shades of brown. You can then add milk for a creme caramel.
Dulce de Leche has, as its base, heated sweetened milk. Cooked down, it tastes just like or nearly like caramel with milk added.
I think most use the terms interchangeably, as long as they're referring to milky caramel, not pure caramel.
PerkyMac at 12:10PM on 01/07/09
@JerzeeTomato: Great answer! It's got my "best of" vote.
CanadianFoodieGirl at 12:48PM on 01/07/09
To that I will add let us all grab a can of condensed milk and make some.
Sounds absolutely yummy. Who is with me?
JerzeeTomato at 2:06PM on 01/07/09
I'm with ya:) !
emmawright at 2:26PM on 01/07/09
I'm so with you! Just yesterday, I bought 2 tins of condensed milk - it's time to make some dulce de leche!!!
brooke29 at 2:49PM on 01/07/09
Ok so do I call my newly flavored ice cream:
1. Ginger Caramel
2. Ginger Dulce de Leche
:) It doesn't really matter since the only recipe request are from my Mom and Sister...but, since were on the topic....thought I'd ask
emmawright at 3:43PM on 01/07/09
Dulce De Leche = milk + sugar cooked till lightly brown.
Caramel = Water + Sugar cooked to a specific stage.
Carmel = Cream + the water and sugar you cooked to reach the caramel stage, above.
I've never had dulce de leche that I didn't make myself. My favorite is the Alton Brown recipe. Until someone convinces me something better exists, I won't use another recipe (or canned DDL).
therealchiffonade at 6:28PM on 01/07/09
I never would have though dulce de leche was as easy to make as it is. I lovvved the stuff in Argentina. Before JerzeeTomato kicked my answer's ass, I would have said: dulce de leche is made from sweetened milk, whereas caramel is simply made from sugar. Yes the dulce refers to the sweet portion similarly to the caramel but the difference is still the milk.
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 6:31PM on 01/07/09
I know someone from Nicaragua and I made a mango dulce de leche and he said it involves 3 differenk kinds of milk, sweetened, condensed and whole milk, I was glad after he quized me on the milks I used I used the right ones.
joanpieroni2 at 6:41PM on 01/07/09
What is the best recipes to make chocolate caramel?
TheBlue at 8:10PM on 01/07/09
One comment about dulce de leche and cajeta: Dulce de leche is made from cow's milk and cajeta from goat's milk; hence the big difference between both in taste and consistency.
HappyMuncher at 11:21PM on 01/07/09