Since getting a crock pot for Christmas I have been on a mission to find new recipes and techniques I can enjoy. Mainly I've been making soups. Soups are awesome. I saw a number of links of Pinterest (including this one) about making caramel (or dulce de leche) in your crock pot. What?! You know I had to try that.
The basic idea is you take a can of sweetened condensed milk, remove the label, submerge it in water in your crock pot (set on low) for eight hours. Sounds easy enough. I read a few sources that mentioned this method could result in a rust ring forming in the bottom of your crock pot. I don't know if that's true or not but I didn't want to take the risk (not my new and still sort of shiny crock pot!). Instead I tried a slightly modified method with a few added ingredients. Here's what I did:
In a mason jar pour in the contents from one can of sweetened condensed milk. Add any extra ingredients you like. I made two jars, and in one I added 1/2 teaspoon coarse grain sea salt (salted caramel anyone?). To the other I added 1 tablespoon bourbon. I love bourbon. :) Place the lid on the jar and seal. Shake the jar to mix up the ingredients. Place in your crock pot and fill with water so that the water covers the jar just past the milk. Cover your crock pot. I found my lid no longer fit over the mason jars, so instead I covered my crock pot with aluminum foil to keep the water from evaporating. Set on low and let that cook for 8 hours (go to bed, wake up to caramel!).
This was a fun experiment! The results: thick, richly colored caramel. The caramel is not perfectly smooth in texture, it was somewhat grainy. I loved both flavors (salted and bourbon infused). This would be delicious as a dip for apples, smeared on toast with peanut butter, piped into a cupcake or a small spoonful stirred into coffee. I gotz ideas for my caramel, as you can see.
What about you? Have you ever tried making crockpot caramel? xo. Emma
Yum! Amazing use! Perfect for the mini crock pots too in which it'll stay warm as you dip.
Posted by: Yelle | January 25, 2013 at 01:33 PM
Kerry- Oh my gosh! Kerry, I am so sorry this happened to you! Thank you for sharing your experience, it's always good to use caution and care. I appreciate your comment.
Posted by: Emma | January 25, 2013 at 01:36 PM
I'm from Argentina and we eat dulce de leche quite, quite often (but of course we buy it, since they sell it at every single market). I love it! Apple tastes amazing with it, also does banana. When you put this in a cake, you're lost: it's THE BEST.
Posted by: Antonella | January 25, 2013 at 01:36 PM
This looks lovely!
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Posted by: Sonia | January 25, 2013 at 01:42 PM
Who needs a crock pot for soup when you can make something so much better?! I love caramel! I'm obsessed with the caramel syrup I get on my overpriced caramel frappucinos. I can only imagine how delicious a mug of hot coffee would taste with a heaping scoop of caramel melted in. yummmm!
Posted by: Monica | January 25, 2013 at 01:43 PM
OMG ! That looks absolutely delicious !!!
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Posted by: Laura | January 25, 2013 at 01:43 PM
We made crock pot caramel for our "friendsgiving feast" (thanks for that idea) and used it to top little gluten free apple pies we made. It was fantastic - so good we forgot to take pictures!
Posted by: Kasey M. | January 25, 2013 at 01:50 PM
So tasty!
Posted by: Flora | January 25, 2013 at 01:53 PM
I had no idea this was possible! I have been wanting to try out my crockpot for desserts, and this definitely works!
Posted by: Rachel | January 25, 2013 at 02:01 PM
Oh yes. I would love this.
Posted by: Tyler Anne Snell | January 25, 2013 at 02:02 PM
I've been doing this since I was a little girl. Except I just boil it in a regular pan. xD I've always been a sugar addict and my mom didn't find out about her missing sweetened condensed milk until not long ago. Hihi.
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Posted by: xfallenmoon | January 25, 2013 at 02:02 PM
YUM! I pretty much love caramel on anything, so thanks for this!
Love,
Stephanie May*
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Posted by: Stephanie May* | January 25, 2013 at 02:05 PM
Crock pot caramel?? Ohhhh, yeah.
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Posted by: Catherine Denton | January 25, 2013 at 02:13 PM
A crock pot! That is so awesome and easy. Thanks for sharing!
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Posted by: Courtney | January 25, 2013 at 02:16 PM
That looks heavenly. Thanks for sharing. Now I just need a crockpot!
Posted by: Liz | January 25, 2013 at 02:22 PM
You can do this on the stove by submerging the can into a large pot (you could put a washcloth at the bottom to avoid it scratching the pot) and boiling it for 3 hours. It made wonderful and SMOOTH caramel. Take a graham cracker crust pie, layer sliced bananas on the bottom, put caramel on top and add some cool whip. Put it in the freezer to let it firm up. DELICIOUS banana, caramel pie!
Posted by: Lauren | January 25, 2013 at 02:38 PM
Oh Emma you're the best!
How nice to see this kind of recipe in here.
I'm from Argentina, we use dulce de leche with bananas,
pancakes, alfajores, confectionery...
Just a sugestion: If you want to make it really smooth, not grainy at all, you should look for the original recipe (uses cold milk, sugar, vanilla, a non-stick pan and a wooden spoon. Really yummy!). Hope you give it a try!
Love you guys!
Posted by: Maria | January 25, 2013 at 02:42 PM
Making it this weekend! Yum!!!
Posted by: LARY@ Inspiration Nook | January 25, 2013 at 03:13 PM
great way to change the flavours slightly. I'm sure I remember seeing this on a children's science program when I was very young and them saying if you cook it for long enough it will be solid, it was some sort of challenge to make solid milk, I might see if I can make that too!
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Posted by: Helen | January 25, 2013 at 03:13 PM
Oh how this makes me wish I owned a crock pot! Very inventive!
Posted by: Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe | January 25, 2013 at 03:27 PM