A humble campo dessert, Dulce de leche cortada (curdled milk fudge) is truly a beloved Dominican classic, inexpensive, uncomplicated, and so easy-to-make with this video-recipe.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Dec 30, 2002
❝ I made it last night, came out perfect. ❞
Why we ❤️ it
There are two ways to make dulce de leche cortada: the campo-style, simple, uncomplicated one that was created to make some use of soured or curdled milk in the days before refrigeration, and the more refined - and safer - one made with pasteurized milk, and with extra flavors.
I have tried both - my grandma and mom made it at home with curdled milk - but the more modern method is my preferred one, not just because it's safer, but also because I love the citrus touch, the added raisins or prunes, and the custardy chunks of milk that are firm but still smooth.
Dulce de leche cortada versions
The original version of this recipe was made with fresh raw milk that would have started to turn sour or curdle from bacterial action. It was a way of making use of something that would have otherwise been wasted.
Only sugar and sometimes cinnamon was added, and the result was smaller chunks of milk protein, in a slightly sour syrup flavored by the milk fermentation.
With lime
I don't have access to fresh raw milk that has curdled - and I don't feel we should be taking the risk, to be honest. So the more modern method is my preferred one: adding lime juice to the milk to make it curdle without bacterial action.
Aside from using pasteurized milk and making it safe to consume for almost anyone, this method has the added bonus of enhancing the flavors with a lovely citrusy taste.
With eggs
Another modern enhancement is adding eggs to the milk mixture. The eggs make for soft, "custardy" chunks, while without them they are more chewy and dry.
I learned this method from the cook at a "plato del día" fonda I used to frequent decades ago. I loved their dulce de leche cortada and wondered why it was different from mine, thanks to the cook - whose name I don't remember - for that tip.
I love the egg version, so maybe you'd like to try it too.
Dulce de leche cortada (Dominican curdled milk fudge).
Serving suggestions
This is a common dessert to finish a Dominican lunch, served alongside a Dominican cafecito and a glass of chilled water.
Top tips
- Zest: While I prefer lime juice to curdle the milk, and because it is acid enough to imitate the flavor of traditional curdled milk, I prefer to also add some orange zest, but if you don't have oranges at hand, it's OK to use lime zest only.
- Prunes or raisins: I love adding prunes, a trick that I picked a long time ago from one of my favorite Santo Domingo bakeries, but raisins are more common. Most people don't add either, so if you dislike them, leave them out.
- Brown sugar: You can use brown sugar for a deeper flavor and a more intense caramel color.
- Stirring and consistency: It is important that you do not stir once you add the lime to the milk, otherwise the clumps will break, you can break them up to your preferred size once you remove from the heat.
Some people prefer them smaller (the size of a lentil or a bean), I prefer them larger (about the size of an olive).
About our recipe
This is a dessert that was quite popular in my family, when I was a kid we had fresh raw milk delivered every other day (which my mom boiled before we consumed it) and we always had leftovers that would be turned into Dulce de leche cortada, or boruga (Dominican fermented milk drink).
Here I give you a few changes I've picked along the way that I love, but feel free to just make it as simple as you want. I wish I could give myself credit for these tips, but those were learned from other Dominican cooks.
How do they make it in your family? I'd love to read about it in the comments.
Video
Recipe
This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Dulce de Leche Cortada [Video+Recipe] Dominican Curdled Milk Fudge
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar (white, granulated), [150 grams]
- 1 egg (medium), at room temperature (optional)
- 2½ cup whole milk, [600 mililiters] at room temperature
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves, (optional)
- ½ teaspoon lime zest
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ cup raisins, or prunes (optional)
- ¼ cup lime juice, [60 mililiters]
Instructions
1. Mixing
Combine sugar and egg, stirring until they are well mixed. Stir in the milk. Sieve to eliminate undissolved egg parts. Mix in cinnamon, lime and orange zest, and prunes.
2. Cooking
- Simmer over low heat. Once it breaks the boil, pour in the lime juice in different spots. Simmer without stirring unless it is sticking to the pot. The milk mixture will eventually (about 10 mins) curdle, and chunks will float in thin syrup.Once the thin syrup has reduced to about half, remove it from the heat and cool to room temperature.
3. Serving
Remove the cinnamon stick (and cloves if you added them).Chill before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. ❤️ Plus, get great weekly recipes from me!
More dulce de leche recipes
If you like dulce de leche cortada, you might also love our Dulce de leche dominicano recipe, this lovely Dulce de leche con piña, this Dulce de coco con leche, Dulce de batata con leche, or our Relleno de dulce de leche para bizcocho dominicano.
- Learn more about me and the humans behind this blog.
- Share your questions and comments about this post.
- Subscribe to receive our recipes and articles by email.
- Please stay in touch! Follow us on:
