Homemade Cajeta Recipes

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine 1 quart of the milk with the sugar and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture turns golden.
• In the remaining quart of milk, stir in the soda and place in another saucepan.
• Add the cinnamon stick and bring to boil.
• Discard the cinnamon and add the hot milk very gradually to the caramel mixture, stirring constantly.
• When all the milk is incorporated, place over a low heat and cook very slowly until the mixture is thick like melted caramel.
• Cool slightly; then pour into a glass container and chill.
• Please note that the cooking times and yield are approximate.

Steps:

• In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, and vanilla and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the dissolved baking soda. When the bubbling stops, return the pan to the heat, bring back to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, for 1 hour, or until the mixture starts to thicken and turn golden. At this point the cajeta will start to thicken fast, so don't leave the pan unattended. Continue to cook, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan, for another 20 minutes, or until the cajeta is a rich brown color and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. It should cool to a medium-thick caramel consistency. If it's too thick, add a small amount of water; if it's too thin, continue to cook until thickened.
• Transfer to a container, let cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Warm slightly before serving. It will keep for about 1 month in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Sprinkle the gelatin in 1/2 cup water. Let stand about 2 minutes to soften. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Stir for 15 seconds, until the gelatin is dissolved.
• In a 2-quart saucepan, heat the evaporated milk until hot, making sure not to boil. Whisk in the cajeta until smooth and evenly incorporated. Stir in the gelatin mixture to the cajeta mixture and turn the heat off to cool slightly.
• In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the cream cheese and beat on medium speed while slowly adding 1/3 cup of the cajeta cream to temper the cream cheese and avoid curdling or separation. Gradually add the remaining cajeta cream and continue beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again until fully incorporated and frothy. Strain the cream into a glass pitcher or into a 4-cup liquid measure, maintaining as much froth as possible. Pour 1 cup of the cream into each of the 4 wine glasses.
• Garnish with 3 to 5 fresh raspberries (the raspberries will remain afloat in the froth). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

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.

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE CREPES, combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour and blend again before using.
• Heat a small nonstick pan (about 8 inches) over medium heat and brush lightly with butter. Ladle or pour about 1/4 cup of the batter into it, tilting it all around to coat the bottom (the crepes should be thin but not completely see-through). Cook until the top is a nice golden color, flip carefully with a spatula, and cook until the second side is browned, 2 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and repeat to use up all the batter. When all the crepes are stacked up, separate them one by one and stack them again (this is to prevent sticking). The crepes can be made ahead of time and cooled, wrapped well in plastic, and frozen for up to 1 month. Let thaw before proceeding with the recipe.
• TO MAKE THE CARAMEL SAUCE, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat until it begins to turn a slight brownish color and gives off a nutty aroma. Add the cajeta and milk and cook until bubbly and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the brandy, and return to the heat, tilting the pan slightly to light the alcohol and burn it off (be careful). Add the crepes, one by one, submerging them in the sauce and folding them in half and then in half again so they look like triangles (alternatively, you can form the triangles beforehand and then submerge in the sauce or pour the sauce over them, but if you fold them once they are in the cajeta, you will ensure that they are evenly coated). Place about 3 on each plate and top with some of the toasted pecans.

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.

Steps:

• In a large, heavy pot (not iron), combine the milk, sugar, and vanilla, and place over medium heat. Stir regularly until the milk comes to a simmer and sugar is dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and add dissolved baking soda; it will bubble up at this point, especially with goat's milk. When the bubbles have subsided, return it to the heat.
• Adjust heat so that the mixture is simmering briskly but not boiling. Cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture turns pale golden, about one hour.
• You will now need to stir the milk more regularly as it begins to thicken and turns a caramel-brown color. Don't allow the milk to stick to the bottom of the pot. You can drop a few drops into a small glass of water. If a soft ball forms, the cajeta is ready.
• If you take the pot off the heat and allow the cajeta to cool, it should be a medium-thick sauce. If it's too thick, add hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time until it is the proper consistency. If it is too thin, return to the heat until it thickens.
• When the cajeta is cool, remove the vanilla bean. Strain the cajeta through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl or wide-mouthed jar, then scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cajeta. Refrigerate until ready to use. Cajeta is best served warm.