墨西哥焦糖煉乳 (Cajeta)

我纏了我的墨西哥同事很久，終於盼到他答應週末做mole給我吃。為表謝意，我自告奮勇說要帶拉丁口味的甜點。在網上找了半天，我終於決定要做巧克力蛋糕布丁（先賣個關子，等我做出來如果好吃的話再來寫一篇這個甜品的帖子）。其中一個材料就是這個焦糖煉乳，說難不難，可是又很耗時間。我現在住在這個德意志聯邦，離拉丁美洲實在是太遠了，很多材料都買不到，只好自己在家自力更生做出來啦。

這個食譜是美國芝加哥一個很出名的墨西哥餐廳廚師的食譜。說實話這個不難做，材料簡單而且不難找，就是花時間而已。傳統的Cajeta用的是山羊奶，但是如果你不喜歡或者不習慣山羊奶的羊臊味的話可以用普通的牛奶代替。我做過兩次，一次用了一半一半，但是這次就是全部都用了山羊奶，我自己是吃不太出有多大的區別，我朋友他們也很喜歡這個煉乳。我的墨西哥同事甚至說這個跟他在墨西哥外面買的一個樣，😄


墨西哥焦糖煉乳 －Cajeta
食譜來源：Rick Bayless

2L 山羊奶（或者可以用全脂牛奶代替）
1 2/3 杯白糖
1   2寸墨西哥肉桂枝（cinnamon stick）
1/2 茶匙蘇打粉（用1湯匙水溶解）

做法：

• In a medium-large (6-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or Mexican copper cazo), combine the milk, sugar and cinnamon stick and set over medium heat. Stir regularly until the milk comes to a simmer (all the sugar should have dissolved by this point). Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the dissolved baking soda—it’ll foam up if the goat’s milk is acidic. When the bubbles subside, return the pot to the heat.

• Adjust the heat to maintain the mixture at a brisk simmer (too high and the mixture will boil over; too low and the cooking time will seem interminable). Cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture turns pale golden, more or less one hour.

• Now, begin stirring frequently as the mixture colors to caramel-brown and thickens to the consistency of maple syrup (you’ll notice the bubbles becoming larger and glassier). Stir regularly so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Test a couple of drops on a cold plate: When cool, thecajeta should be the consistency of a medium-thick caramel sauce. If the cooled cajeta is thicker (almost like caramel candy), stir in a tablespoon or so of water and remove from the heat; if too runny, keep cooking.

• Pour the cajeta through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl or a wide-mouth storage jar. When cool, cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Warming the cajeta before serving (a microwave oven is efficient here) makes it extra delicious.