5-Ingredient Cajeta Recipe (Mexican Caramel Sauce) Is Sinfully Delicious by Ann Marie G. Halstead

Cajeta is a sweet, thick milk caramel sauce. In other Spanish-speaking countries, it is called dulce de leche, which means “milk candy,” and is made with regular cow milk. The traditional Mexican recipe for cajeta, however, uses goat milk or a mixture of goat and cow milk. The two are similar but goat milk is slightly tangy and lower in sugar lactose, while cow milk is sweeter. Also, the goat milk makes the sauce a bit richer.

The final distinguishing feature that separates the two is the inclusion of baking soda in carjeta. Bonus: carjeta is easier to make!

You can use cajeta as a topping on almost anything. I suspect most people love drizzling it over favorite desserts. You can also drizzle it on top of ice cream, pancakes, waffles, crepes and more. You can use it as a dessert filling, dip fresh fruit into it or add a tablespoon or so to your coffee. If you like spreading hazelnut spread on bread, you’ll likely enjoy doing the same with cajeta. The possibilities are practically endless. You may even enjoying eating it right off the spoon!

Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 4 cups goat milk (divided)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 

Here’s how to make it:

1. In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of goat milk and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the remaining goat milk, sugar and cinnamon stick over medium to medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir frequently to dissolve the sugar.
3. Remove the pot from the heat. Add in the baking soda mixture (the milk will begin to bubble and froth quickly). Continue stirring. Once the mixture stops bubbling, return the pot to the heat and return it to a low simmer.
4. Cook about 45 to 60 minutes, until the mixture has reduced and thickened. Stir frequently, especially toward the end of the cooking time, carefully scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent burning. You’ll know the cajeta is done when it has the consistency of honey and you can scrape the mixture aside and see the bottom of the pot. 
5. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Carjeta will thicken and harden as it cools.

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