What’d You Do Last Weekend?
Want to try a gluten-free dessert that tastes anything but? How about hanging your lip on a Nanaimo bar? The recipe's from our neighbors up north, but the gluten-free graham crackers are a creation of Celiac Teen's Lauren. Unbelievable.
Cajeta - Goat's Milk Caramel
I had my first taste of cajeta at Fonda San Miguel in Austin, TX. It was a dessert I've never forgotten - crepas de cajeta (crepes with goat's milk caramel, served with cajeta ice cream). In fact, it's still on their menu, but I'm 2000 miles away, and that's a long haul for dessert even for me.
I had to learn to make cajeta for myself - and found a recipe in Authentic Mexican, by Rick Bayless. He has a crepas con cajeta recipe too, but the cajeta is really all you need. That and a spoon.
People often ask me what's the difference between cajeta and dulce de leche, and the only real answer I can give is the milk. Dulce de leche is made with cow's milk, and cajeta is made with goat's milk. I've seen combinations of cow and goat milk cajeta, but they don't really achieve the musky flavor of a pure goat milk caramel sauce. But don't let that put you off - it's not a stinky goaty caramel - it's sweet and pungent, and is wonderful on ice cream, crepes, and even toast.
I've included a slideshow below so you can see the progression of the cajeta every 15 minutes until it's done, as well as a shot of crepas con cajeta.
Cajeta
1 qt goat milk
1 c sugar
1 T corn syrup
1/2" cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 T dark rum (I used Sailor Jerry's)
- In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, corn syrup, and cinnamon stick and bring to a simmer.
- Dissolve the baking soda in 1 T water.
- Remove the milk mixture from the heat.
- Stir in the baking soda mixture and stir to prevent it from overflowing (it will bubble up rapidly).
- Return to the heat and bring to a gentle rolling boil.
- Stir regularly for the next hour (that's about how long it takes).
Note: If you're going to keep the cajeta for longer than a week, you'll want to wash the spoon completely before stirring each time. This will prevent undissolved sugar from getting into your caramel mixture - which will cause it to crystallize over time. (If you're going to eat it fast, you can skip this step.) - When you've achieved the desired color and consistency, strain the cajeta through a sieve into a small bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes.
- Stir in the alcohol and allow the cajeta to cool completely before putting it in the refrigerator.
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More Info
Wikipedia entries for Cajeta and Dulce de Leche
Fonda San Miguel in Austin, TX