Dulce de leche is caramelized milk made by heating sugar and milk on a slow flame for hours until it thickens. Dulce de leche cocktail is any cocktail made from using this style of caramelized milk.

Dulce de Leche Cocktail

What is a Dulce de Leche Cocktail?

Dulce de leche is caramelized milk made by heating sugar and milk on a slow flame for hours until it thickens. Dulce de leche cocktail is any cocktail made from using this style of caramelized milk. It is usually a very sweet concoction and is often paired with rum, coconut rum, chocolate liqueur, or condensed milk. In this respect, it works as a dessert cocktail.

  • It can be quite high in alcohol content, which is often masked due to the sweetness.
  • Dulce de Leche Day is celebrated globally on 11th October every year.

Some of the most popular dulce de leche brands on the market include:

  • San Ignacio
  • Havanna
  • Cachafaz
  • Vacalin
  • La Serenisima
  • Veronica
  • Conaprole
  • Ilolay
  • Los Nietotos
  • La Lechera

Origin

There are a myriad of different cocktails using dulce de leche, including the dulce de leche martini. Dulce de leche was itself believed to have been invented in Indonesia. From there, it traveled to the Philippines, and was taken by the colonizing Spanish to Spain and South America. Today, it is considered an integral part of South American cuisine and is used in several cocktails in the region. 

Nutrition

Nutritional profile for dulce de leche (1 tbsp):

Dulce de leche is mainly composed of sugar, which can be good for the health of the brain, provided it is consumed in balanced quantities. The brain requires up to 400 calories of glucose per day to function. However, sugar products contain tagatose, which may lead to digestive issues. Overconsumption of this sugary spread may lead to heart problems due to increased triglycerides and can damage oral health since sugar encourages bacteria in the mouth. 

Commercial production

There are several different ways to prepare this cocktail. One recipe calls for dulce de leche, condensed milk, and mocha liqueur. First, all the ingredients are poured into a shaker and shaken well with ice. Then, the mixture is strained and served in cocktail glasses. 

Dulce de leche cocktail recipes

Dulce de leche cocktail comes in many forms. It is often used as a sweetener in different drinks and can also be used in thick and dessert-style cocktails. Here are a few recipes:

FDA regulations

Dulce de leche is classified as a caramel spread. It consists of approximately 57.78 percent sugar and 42.22 percent milk. Also, it is used as a dessert spread, a sweetener for coffee or tea, and in similar uses.

References

Milena Fajardo, A Brief History of Dulce de Leche, Culture Trip
https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/uruguay/articles/a-brief-history-of-dulce-de-leche/ 

Scott Edwards, Sugar and the Brain, Harvard Medical School
https://hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/sugar-brain