If you’ve never tasted cajeta, you’re in for a luscious surprise—a thick, gooey sauce reminiscent of dulce de leche, but exponentially more complex. Old-school techniques require the better part of an afternoon, but my method will reduce a quart of goat’s milk down to a half cup in less than an hour, concentrating its flavor and consistency. Drizzle it over your favorite ice cream, use it as a dip for apple slices, spread it over cake, or just lick it off a spoon…
–Serious Eats
After treating my dear friend to a super duper chocolatey birthday treat, I was compelled to treat her hubby to a different treat.
The rich, chocolate, layered pie was far “too much” for Gerry.
But, his FAVORITE sweet treat goes back centuries – it’s a Mexican classic: Cajeta Casera: homemade goat’s milk caramel sauce.
Gerry also prefers fruit desserts.
Thus, my compulsion led to this scrumptious amazingness: Cajeta Casera Apple Pecan Galette!
Just like dulce de leche, cajeta is a thick, sweet confection made from boiled milk—goat’s milk in the case of cajeta, and cow’s milk in the case of dulce. And, just like its cousin, cajeta is almost universally described as “Mexican caramel.” On the surface, that makes sense. They’re both gooey and brown, with a similar sort of nuttiness. But it’s also a gross oversimplification that erases the unique attributes of Latin America’s dairy-centric confections, which aren’t caramels at all.
– Serious Eats
Cajeta Casera Apple Pecan Galette
Cajeta Casera:
12 oz. evaporated goat milk
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup water
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 vanilla bean, split
3 Tbs. cornstarch
Combine all the ingredients (except cornstarch) together in a medium pot. Warm over medium heat, occasionally stirring until the sugar dissolves and the milk turns foamy.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and swiftly whisk in the corn starch.
Continue cooking at a gentle simmer, stirring and scraping the sides of the pot frequently, until milk is thick, golden, and reduced to no more than a thin, super-jammy layer. This can take 45 minutes. Stir more frequently as the Cajeta thickens to prevent scorching. Continue cooking until Cajeta forms a “trail” that remains open for one second when a spatula is scraped across the bottom of the pot. Remove from heat. Using tongs, remove and discard vanilla pod.
The Cajeta can be refrigerated for up to 3 months.
Apple Pecan Galette:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and rolled out
4 Tbs. butter
3 large apples, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 Tbs. evaporated goat milk
1 Tbs. raw sugar
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a large cast iron pot, melt the butter.
Add the thinly sliced apples and coat with the melted butter.
Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove the lid and continually stir until the slices are soft and all juices have been released.
Set the apples aside.
Roll out the puff pastry just slightly – enough to cover any holes.
Place in a parchment lined pie plate.
Fill the pastry with the cooked apples.
Then, drizzle about 1/4-1/3 cup of the Cajeta** over the apples. Top with the chopped pecans.
Fold in the sides of the pastry.
Brush with the 1 Tbs. goat milk and then sprinkle with raw sugar.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly before enjoying! Maybe with milk? 😀
**Store the remaining Cajeta in a sealed glass jar in the fridge for up to 3 months.
