Caramel for a Rainy Day

 

    Much needed rain has come to our area today. Cloud cover brought a welcome relief from the intense rays of the southern sun. Weather such as this makes for kitchen creativity..in this case, a family favorite. From the start of our home dairy herd, Cajeta found it's way into our kitchen and remained a favorite staple. There at the stove stirring and swirling, conversations spark as turns are taken. Great chats can be had over a batch of caramel sauce..try it out and see!

Cajeta (Mexican caramel sauce)

       yields approximately 3 pints

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp baking soda

3 quarts whole goat's milk

3 cups sugar (I used white, but I think brown would have been bolder)

Dissolve the cornstarch and baking soda in 1 cup of the milk and stir to dissolve any lumps. Pour this into a large (mine is a stock pot) heavy bottom sauce pan. Pour in the remaining milk and the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Yes, I mean constantly- milk scorches in nothing flat and is a mess to clean up if it foams over. We took turns stirring it nonstop. Cook until it is the consistency of Carmel sauce. Now, bear in mind, this takes about two hours of continual stirring. After about one hour the mixture takes on the appearance of evaporated milk and is slightly thicker. After one hour and fifteen minutes (give or take) the mixture looks like condensed milk..slightly darker and thicker. Around the two hour mark, the mixture is a syrup consistency, tan to light brown, and tastes like caramel. When tested - drizzling some on a cool plate- it gelled well and tasted amazing!

We then poured it through a fine strainer into clean jars, let it cool a bit, and enjoyed it.
This sauce makes a great dip for fruit and a tasty topping for ice cream...I'm sure we will find even more uses for this tasty treat- my oldest farm girl says it makes a great caramel mocha frappe..gotta love her.