Make Caramel from Sweetened Condensed Milk - Just One Ingredient!



Making caramel from sweetened condensed milk with just one ingredient, seriously? Yes! The usual method is to boil an unopened can of condensed milk, but I really cannot bring myself to do this. Because I do not usually even take any canned food, let alone eating the stuff in the metal tin that was on low heat for hours! 

 

BPA is an industrial compound, but food manufacturers use BPA to protect food from metal corrosion and bacteria. BPA is a toxic chemical linked to health risks including reproductive abnormalities, heart disease and cancer and other serious health problems.

 

Thus, I did some research to see if there are other methods to this, and realised I could use a sealed glass jar instead. An added advantage of using glass jar is that you will be able to see if the caramel is ready! How thrilled! So here's the recipe!

 

Ingredients

 1 can of sweetened condensed milk (any brands work!)

 Water for simmering

 

Method

1. Fill about 3/4 of the glass jar with condensed milk, and seal the bottle cap tight. Doing a few bottles at one go is even more value for money!

 

2. Fully submerge with water the glass jars in slow cooker or pot over stove. From time to time, check on the water level in the pot, if the water evaporate, add water. NOTE: if the glass bottle is not fully submerge, it will explode! Make sure it is just simmering and not boiling.

 

a) Using slower cooker method

Cook on low heat (not high or auto) for 8 hours.

 

b) Using pot over stove method 

Leave on a simmer for about 3 hours.  



Condensed Milk in Glass Jar in Slow Cooker



3. Remove from pot, let cool for about 5-10 minutes.

 

4. Open the cap, and enjoy your caramel as dips, spread for jam, sauce for any desserts and for any baking recipes e.g. popcorns. The list is endless. Store in fridge to keep it fresh and lasting.



Turned into Caramel after 8 hours in slow cooker

Look at the colour of the caramel, yumm!

Notes

☼ I think it is more energy efficient and cost saving to simmer over stove for 3 hours than over slow cooker for 8 hours.  

☼ This is a express method, but I'm hesitant because of the additional sugar, but will try this if I'm in rush!

 

Bulking method (faster)
1) Melt equal weights of brown sugar and butter in a pan on low heat until mixture becomes smooth liquid.
2) Add condensed milk, continue to simmer and stir continuously for 20 minutes until brown.