Homemade Cajeta

All good things must come to an end, and thus I say farewell to Vegan town.  Although I visit regularly for culinary inspiration,  you won't be the only town I visit.  With that said, here's a recipe for some delicious cajeta, a delicious goat milk Latin caramel candy.  Use it in coffee, over ice cream, in ice pops; really the sky is the limit.  It is SUPER sweet so please proceed with caution when using.

I am super lucky to get my hands on 2 gallons of raw goat's milk every month.  I have homemade feta in the fridge right now, and needless to say, it is awesome.  If you live in the Central Valley of CA I highly recommend that you contact Meg Dickey and sign up for their herd share program.  The milk those goats make is beyond delicious.  If you can't get your hands on goats milk, you could use whole milk just make sure it is not ultra-pasteurized or it just won't work.  Without any further delay....

Cajeta
Modified from a recipe in Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll

2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking soda
12 c whole raw goat's milk
3 c sugar
1 vanilla bean split down the center
1 small piece of canela (cinnamon stick)

I added the vanilla and cinnamon myself.  I just love the flavor of dulce de leche so much I thought it would make a nice addition.  Don't feel as if you have to add, omit the last two ingredients if you are just not that into them.

Add 1 cup of the milk into your stock pan along with the cornstarch and baking soda.  Using a whisk, incorporate the starch and soda until no lumps are visible.  Add the rest of the milk.  Over med-high heat, bring to boil, stirring occasionally.  Once it boils, remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean if using and stir constantly until you get a caramel consistency.  I usually make sure that the sauce coats the back of my wooden spoon.

Pour into clean jars, cover with a clean dish towel, and allow to it to come to room temp.

Once this happens place the lids on top and store in the fridge up to a month.  If you plan on using it over ice cream, heat it in microwave or place jar in a bath of hot water for a bit.  Enjoy!