This Cuban dulce de leche cortada recipe has been passed down from my father. In an effort to not waste any food, Cubans like many others made sure to use everything they had even curdled milk. They take something sour and spoiled and convert it into something delicious and sweet.
It's a recipe I loved as a child and as an adult have a deep appreciation for. The curdled milk turns into sweet curds and the whey turns into a delicious syrup.
What to serve with dulce de leche cortada
This dish is typically served chilled and on its own. However, I have seen some people serve it with queso blanco or as a topping on vanilla ice cream.
What is dulce de leche cortada?
Dulce de leche cortada translates to curdled milk dessert. Some people also refer to it as curdled milk fudge.
Equipment Needed
For this recipe all you need is a 5-6 quart caldero with a lid.
Ingredients
- Whole milk that has been left out overnight
- Zest of one lemon/lime
- Juice of one lemon/lime
- Cinnamon stick
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Sugar
How do you make dulce de leche cortada?
This dessert is made using spoiled whole milk. I confess that when I was little I would sneak out of my bed in the middle of the night and take the milk out of the fridge on purpose. In the morning, the milk would be spoiled and in an effort not to waste the milk my mom would make this dessert.
The spoiled milk cooks low and slow for a about 2-3 of hours in a large pot with lime juice, lime zest, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and sugar. After a few hours the result is a caramel colored delicious dessert that tastes sweet with hints of tanginess from the citrus. It has a mildly chewy/squeaky texture like a cheese curd.
How to curdle milk in a hurry
Don't want to wait until the milk curdles on its own? No worries. Place your milk in a dutch oven and add to it the lemon/lime juice. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes or until the milk separates and curdles.
Storage
Your dulce de leche cortada should be stored in an airtight container inside the refrigerator. It will keep there for upto 5 days.
Check out these other Cuban recipes
Dulce De Leche Cortada
Ingredients
- 1 Gallon of whole milk that has been left out overnight
- The zest of one lemon/lime
- Juice of one lemon/lime
- 1 Large cinnamon stick or 2 medium sized sticks
- 1 Teaspoon of salt
- ½ Teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 ½ Cups of sugar
Instructions
- Get a large pot and pour into it the sour milk, the zest, lemon juice and cinnamon stick. Set on medium heat until it begins to simmer. You should start to see the milk begin to separate from the whey in just a few minutes of cooking,
- Pour in the salt, vanilla extract and sugar then gently stir to make sure it is all incorporated. Leave on medium heat for 40 minutes and then bring down to low heat.
- Stir occasionally and gently in order to not destroy the curds. This will continue to cook uncovered for about 1 ½ - 2 hours, until the curds become golden in color and about half the whey has evaporated leaving a sweet syrup.
- This can burn rather easily, so the pot requires consistent checking to ensure the bottom doesn't burn. Once done, place the entire contents of the pot in a seal tight container and refrigerate. It will be good in the refrigerator for about a week.
Ava Tettamanti says
You got the chancleta too, Boo? My apologies.
Unknown says
I am trying this recipe as I write, but I want to thank you for the touching words about the relationship of culture, family and food. It hit home with me because I never cooked until my mother became ill. I was able to sit with her and write all her Cuban recipes,.... But having never cooked until then, I didn't know what questions to ask. The punches and dashes were way to vague for me. Thank you for your Cuban recipes!
em says
Hey I came across your post searching for the what Cubans really call this dessert- my mom and others all have diff names: burula, buruga, boruguitas- just curious what you all call it!
Abi says
Hi! What does one do if the mixture starts to boil and breaks up the curds, will it still workout? I've made this recipe before and it worked perfectly but this time I think I hated the mixture too much
Cari says
Yes it'll still work out as long as it doesn't burn. You'll just have smaller curds kind of like the size of cottage cheese.