Finally, this recipe gave me a lot of headaches, but I wanted to include it on the blog because I grew up eating Dulce de Leche bars or manjar duro; shout out to Gallinitas de Manjar Sausalito.
Over time, I tried many different techniques or recipes, and in the spirit of non-gate-keeping, here are the recipes I tried that did NOT work:
Beat manjar with egg yolks and butter
Mix manjar with white chocolate and/or powdered milk.
I did not try making homemade Dulce de leche (whole milk with sugar) and continuing to cook until it was hard because I honestly did not have the patience.
Artisanal and commercial Dulce de leche bars are available in all supermarkets and small mini-markets in Chile. They remain a sought-after treat or snack.
Sausalito Gallinitas de manjar is a traditional Chilean sweet that delights children and adults with its charming shape and rich flavor. The hard Dulce de Leche is shaped like small hens, giving it its name, which translates to "little hens of manjar." Sausalito is a brand of Alfajores and other sweets popular in the Central Valley of Chile. If you stop in Santiago, go to a store and stock up on treats to bring back home.
I hope the recipe brings back many good memories. It is ideal to give as a birthday or Christmas gift to friends who are also enchanted with Dulce de Leche.
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Dulce de Leche bars
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 20 bars
- Category: Sweet
- Method: Stove-cooked
- Cuisine: Chilean
Description
A popular treat or snack.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (120 grams) butter
- 2 cups of dark brown sugar
- 1 can (397 grams) condensed milk
Instructions
- Prepare a 20 x 20 cm square baking pan, grease it, and cover it with parchment paper.
- Mix the condensed milk, butter, and brown sugar in a medium pot. Add a pinch of salt and cinnamon or vanilla if desired.
- Cook, stirring over medium heat, until all the sugar dissolves. Let it simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- To test if it is ready, place ice and water in a bowl and put a teaspoon of the mixture in it. Drain the water and see if you can make a ball with the mixture. If you can, it is ready. Turn off the heat.
- If not, cook for 5 more minutes and test again.
- In the same pot, beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes at medium speed.
- Pour into the baking pan and spread quickly.
- Let it cool and refrigerate for an hour before cutting it into 20 pieces and serving.
- It can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
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