Confiture du lait - my dentist is on speed dial

Confiture du lait, French for 'milk jam', is a rich, sweet, deeply delicious, spread, filling or sweet condiment.
It is fairly similar to the world renowned 'dolce de leche', made with tinned condensed milk, however this version calls for all fresh ingredients and yields beautiful results.
The best thing about this recipe is you can really play around with it. Liquors, spices, licorice, walnuts, it's up to you. Aslong as you have the basics and the time, then play around with it and please tell me about any results!
I would however not recommend using fresh fruits, as i have a hunch that some of the acids or a maillard reaction here or there may produce some poor results or would not preserve properly.....maybe someone should give it a try and see? Candied fruits, such as cherries, diced very finely would be delicious. I have a feeling chocolate and chilli would be good.

It keeps well in a sterilised jar for a few months, can be reheated for desired consistencies and is excellent as a sandwich cake filling. Don't worry about the salt with the sweet. If it's good enough for Heston Blumenthal it's good enough for me.

Here are two of my favourite variants on the recipe:
'Confiture du lait' with fresh vanilla
and
Dark chocolate and cinammon 'Confiture du lait'

the basics: makes 6/700 cl
2 litres of whole milk
500 g caster sugar
15g of salt

for the vanilla variant: 1 vanilla pod, spliced and seeded (use a teaspoon or paring knife)

for the chocolate variant:
100g of best quality sifted cocoa powder,
130g 70% plus cocoa solid dark chocolate, green and blacks is highly recomended
3 sticks of cinnamon or 3 level tbsp ground cinnamon powder
a good grate of nutmeg (optional)


some nice white bread to sample the mix on at different stages of cooking. yum

you will need:
A big pan or stock pot, a whisk, a sterilised jar (if not using within a few days)

method:
1. Pour all the milk into your big pan and place on a medium to high heat. Add your sugar and whisk continously for atleast 20 minutes. Look at your watch and remember the time.
2. As the milk comes to heat, you can lay off the whisking for 5 minutes if your tired.
3. The milk should be hot and the mix may start to go a slightly darker colour. this is good. add now all the required ingredients for your variant and the salt and whisk hard. If using the Vanilla, use both the seeds and the pod in the mix.
4. Leave on a heat so everything is just below or at a very low boil. whisk as often as you can, to prevent a skin from forming.
5. Notice the beautiful froth formed from whisking, especially in the vanila variant. this is excellent on top of a hot espresso.
6. Notice the mixture gradually reducing and becoming thicker. keep whisking.
7. remember the time in point 1) and add three to three and a half hours. At this point your confiture du lait should be about ready. a longer cooking time will lead to a richer and thicker and more caramelly spread but may yield lumps, less cooking time will be better for pouring/dropping. Remove the vanilla pod or cinammon sticks.
REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE: the consistancy of the hot mix will be markedly thinner than when cooled. If in doubt err on the slightly too thin side, as it can always be cooked further after cooling if necesary.
8. use as required

eat, drink, be merry and remember to brush your teeth

Bon appetit