Cajeta Sauce Recipes

CAJETA (MEXICAN CARAMEL SAUCE)

Steps:

• Stir together the milk and sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. (Make sure the liquid only goes three fourths the way up the sides, as it will froth when the baking soda is added.) Add the cinnamon stick, salt, vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds plus the empty vanilla bean pods. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat while constantly stirring. This will take about 15 minutes. DO NOT take your eyes off the pot. It boils over easily and quickly!
• When the milk comes to a boil, quickly remove from heat and add baking soda to the pot. The mixture will rise and get frothy, just keep stirring the mixture.
• Place the pot back on the stove over medium heat, and stir frequently, about every 10 minutes or so. Make sure the milk stays at a gentle simmer rather than a raging boil, and stir across the bottom of the pot to make sure the mixture is not scorching. Adjust heat as needed.
• After about an hour and a half, the milk should start to turn golden brown. Remove the cinnamon stick and the vanilla pod. At this point, it will start to thicken fast, so it's important to keep stirring so the milk doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan.
• Keep stirring until the mixture is a rich brown and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, this will happen after about 15 to 30 minutes. Allow the sauce to cool slightly and then pour into airtight containers. The mixture will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

CAJETA SAUCE RECIPE {GOAT'S MILK CARAMEL SAUCE}

Steps:

• Combine. Combine all the ingredients in a large (8 quart) pot. Heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently, over medium heat. Watch closely as it will boil rapidly in the beginning. Cook. Reduce heat until mixture is gently boiling. Not too low or it will take forever, but not too high that it is at an angry boil. Stir occasionally and once it is golden brown and starting to get thick, stir more frequently. Check for doneness. Once mixture is thick and a spoon scraped on the bottom of the pot leaves a distinct trail that takes a second to run back in on itself it is ready. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half depending on how rapidly it is boiling. Mine usually takes about 45 minutes. Enjoy! Let sauce cool at least 30 minutes then drizzle over your favorite treat or transfer to a container with a tight lid and refrigerate for up to 2 months.

CAJETA - MEXICAN GOAT'S MILK CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix together the goat's milk, sugar, corn syrup, and cinnamon stick in a large pot (at least 3 quarts). Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring so the sugar dissolves.
• Remove the pot from the heat and add the dissolved baking soda, stirring all the while. The mixture should froth, but if it doesn't your goat's milk just might not be very acidic (that's okay). Stir it until most of the foam subsides.
• Return the pot to medium-high heat and bring to a brisk simmer. Cook for an hour or so, or until the mixture turns golden (see bottom lefthand photo on cooking photo collage, above). Stir every five minutes or so to make sure it isn't scorching on the bottom of the pan.
• After the mixture turns pale golden, you'll need to start stirring more frequently. The mixture will darken to a caramely-gold color and thicken to the consistency of maple syrup - it should easily coat the back of a spatula or spoon. This should take another 15 minutes or so, but you can continue to cook until it is the color and thickness of your liking.
• Strain the hot caramel mixture through a sieve into a container (preferably glass). Remove the cinnamon sticks from the sieve. (If you don't have a sieve, it's okay - you may find a lump or two in the finished caramel, and just make sure to remove the cinnamon sticks.)
• If you want to finish with liquor, pour into the warm caramel and stir.
• The cajeta will thicken as it cools, and will keep in the refrigerator in a covered container for at least one month. If it is thicker than desired when cool, you can add warm or hot water to thin.

CAJETA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large (6-quart) heavy bottomed saucepan, bring milk to a boil over medium-high heat. Add sugar and cook, stirring to dissolve.
• Add vanilla beans to saucepan and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl whisk together baking soda and 1 1/2 tablespoons water until baking soda is dissolved. Reduce heat to low and add baking soda mixture to saucepan and cook, stirring constantly. If mixture begins to foam up too high, remove from heat for a moment until foam goes down.
• Cook, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until mixture turns brown and is thickened and reduced to 3 cups, 6 to 8 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and let cool slightly.

CAJETA DESSERT SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine sugar, salt, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover saucepan and cook, checking occasionally until sugar melts and turns amber, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overcook or sugar will burn.
• Remove from heat and slowly whisk in goat's milk. Let cool completely. Drizzle cajeta sauce over ice cream and serve, or store covered in refrigerator up to 1 week.