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Preview image of a small glass jar of Cajeta next to a gold spoon with cajeta on it and a pile of tiger-striped figs.

Cajeta (Goat's Milk Caramel)

Course: Sweets
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cajeta, caramel, goat's milk
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24 2 tablespoon servings
Calories: 85kcal
Author: Marta Rivera
This luxuriously rich sauce is ready in no time at all.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • long-handled whisk
  • 5-quart pot (or larger)

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks (1 cup or 226 grams) unsalted butter sliced
  • 2 cups, firmly packed (453 grams) brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon (6 grams) kosher salt
  • 12 ounce- can (354 milliliters) evaporated goat's milk

Instructions

Dissolve the Sugar in the Butter

  • In a 5-quart saucepot, preferably one with sloped sides, melt the unsalted butter over medium-low heat.
    Once the butter is completely melted, stir in the brown sugar and the salt with a long-handled whisk. 

Heat the Goat's Milk While Dissolving the Sugar

  • While the sugar is dissolving into the butter, heat the goat's milk in a tall pitcher in the microwave for 1 minute on high*.
    You can also heat the milk in a pot on the stove. Just bring it to the steaming point (usually 4-5 minutes) over medium heat. Be sure not to let it boil over.
  • Once the milk is hot, set it aside while you finish the caramel.

Finish the Caramel

  • After the sugar is added to the butter, whisk the two together until combined. Stir the mixture in small, concentric circles around the pot.
    After 1 1/2 minutes the sugar and butter should combine and no pools of butter will be visible at this point. The mixture will look sludgy or like mud.
    Continue cooking over medium-low heat for another minute.
  • After 2 1/2 minutes, the butter-sugar mixture will appear light brown and foamy.
    Continue stirring in concentric circles for approximately 4 minutes. 
  • After 4-4 1/2 minutes, the mixture will look curdled due to the butter separating from the sugar again.
    Continue cooking for another 7-8 minutes, whisking constantly. Within that time, the curdled mixture will come together to form a thick caramel-like paste. 

Add the Goat's Milk

  • Carefully pour the warm goat's milk into the pot. As soon as the milk is added to the caramel, it will bubble ferociously and steam. Ensure your body is not above or directly to the sides of the pot when you're adding the milk.
    Continue to whisk where it's safe to do so.
  • Once all of the goat's milk is added, continue heating and whisking the cajeta until smooth. Cooking the cajeta for another 4-5 minutes over medium-low heat, frequently whisking to break up any lumps that may have developed. 
    Cook the cajeta over medium-low until the mixture thickens again and the whisk leaves trails on the surface. The longer you cook it at this point, the thicker the cooled cajeta will be.

Allow the Cajeta to Cool and Thicken

  • Remove the pot from the stove and allow the cajeta to cool for 20 minutes.
    After 20 minutes, the cajeta will be cool enough to enjoy, or still fluid enough to transfer to a glass or ceramic jar. 
  • Store the cajeta in the refrigerator for up to a month.
    Use the cajeta as a dipping sauce, dessert topping, to spread over bread, or as a pastry filling. 

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

  • *Experiment with flavors by infusing the goat milk. Simply add one of the following to the goat's milk before heating it and allow the flavor to infuse into the milk while you prepare the caramel:
    • vanilla bean or extract
    • herbs like sage, lavender, or thyme
    • fruit peels like orange, lime, or lemon
    • or other ingredients like coffee beans, tea leaves, or nuts 

Tips and Techniques:

  • Using a larger pot ensures you won't overflow the pot when the goat's milk is added.
  • Canned evaporated goat's milk is located next to the evaporated milk and condensed milk in the grocery store.
  • Heating the goat's milk prevents lumps from forming in the caramel when it's added. 

Storage and Reheating Instructions:

  • Cajeta can be frozen for up to 2 months:
    1. Transfer the cajeta into a plastic container or plastic storage bag.
    2. Freeze the cajeta for 2 months.
    3. Thaw the cajeta in the fridge until soft.
  • To warm the cajeta: scoop out the amount you need and reheat it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds on high. Stir before serving. 
  • Cajeta can also be enjoyed cold, straight from the jar.

Gifting Cajeta:

  1. Pour the cajeta into decorative glass jars.
  2. Handwrite or print storage instructions, ingredients list, and reheating instructions onto tags.
  3. Attach the tags to the jar it with a ribbon and gift to your family and friends. 

Nutrition

Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 55mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg