What Is Dulce De Leche?

To understand dulce de leche, it's important to understand the literal translation from Spanish: "candy [made] of milk" or "sweet [made] of milk." An intriguing direct translation makes for a delicious dessert, and this confection of Latin American origin is just that. Countries where this sweet is most popular include Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Spain, and Bolivia, among many others. The type and taste of the confection varies slightly from country to country by way of texture and recipe, and it has influenced other desserts as well, by way of cake, cupcakes and even French toast inspired by the taste. Häagen-Dazs' Dulce de Leche ice cream has recently been spotlighted as Kim Kardashian's "favorite thing in life" in an interview with Harper's Bazaar.

Dulce de leche is traditionally made by slow-cooking milk and sugar on low heat for a few hours until the confection emerges as a thick, sweet syrup. It can also be made at home by boiling an unopened can of condensed milk, and this cheesecake recipe is a great way to incorporate dulce de leche into an oft-beloved dessert. For your afternoon sweets fix, try these dulce de leche swirl lollipops.