Cajeta Recipe - Cooking Index
Cajeta Recipe - Cooking Index
| 1 | Goat or cow's milk, or mixture of the two | |
| 1 cup | 198g / 7oz | Sugar |
| 1 tablespoon | 15ml | Light corn syrup |
| 1/2 | Cinnamon stick - preferably Mexican | |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 1.3ml | Baking soda |
| 1 tablespoon | 15ml | Cream sherry, rum or brandy |
Stir together the milk, sugar, corn syrup and cinnamon stick in a medium-size (4 quart) heavy pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Dissolve the baking soda in 1 tablespoon water, remove the milk from the heat, and stir in the soda mixture, having a spoon ready to stir the mixture down if it bubbles up.
Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until the mixture thickens into a pale-gold syrup, about 25 minutes. At this point, begin stirring very frequently as the mixture thickens into a carmel-brown syrup that's the consistency of maple syrup, about 10 minutes more.
Strain the cajeta through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large measuring cup. Let cool for a few minutes, then stir in the sherry, rum or brandy (plus a little water, if necessary, to bring it to 1 1/2 cups) Refrigerate covered Refrigerate covered. When cold the cajeta should have the consistency of thin corn syrup. When refrigerated will keep a month or more.
Cajeta is one of the glories of the Mexican sweets kitchen, and you know why if you've tasted one made from goat's milk that has been simmered with canela (true cinnamon) until thick and carmely. This isn't the typical caramelized sugar that's diluted with cream; that approach never develops the complexity of flavor or silky texture that cajeta has. For cajeta, the milk slowly reduces to a third of its original volume as the natural milk sugars brown.
Though cajeta can be successfully made with cow's milk, the distinctiveness goat's milk bring to the pot will be missing. I've given many details about cajeta in Authentic Mexican. Here I simply repeat the wonderful recipe for those interested in making it.
Rick Bayless, "Mexican Kitchen"
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Source:
Cafe San Pasqual
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