Manjar

Dulce de leche (Doce de leite)

A jar of dulce de leche
Alternative names	Manjar, manjar blanco, arequipe
Type	Confectionery
Main ingredients	Milk, sugar
Variations	Cajeta, arequipe
Food energy (per serving)	320 kcal (1340 kJ)

Dulce de leche (pronounced: [ˈdulθe ðe ˈletʃe] in Spain; pronounced: [ˈdulse ðe ˈletʃe] in Latin America; Portuguese: doce de leite [ˈdosi dʒi ˈlejtʃi] in Brazil or [ˈdosɨ dɨ ˈlejtɨ] in Portugal) is a confection prepared by slowly heating sweetened milk to create a substance that derives its taste from the Maillard reaction, changing flavour and colour. Literally translated, it means "candy [made] of milk" or "sweet [made] of milk." Its origin is a highly debated topic and it is popular in most Latin American countries.

The dulce de leche of El Salvador has a soft, crumbly texture, with an almost crystallized form. Central Mexico had versions as manjar (vanilla flavored) or cajeta, which is made from goat's milk, in the North of the country the "dulce de leche" from cow's milk is more common. In Cuba, dulce de leche is made from soured milk that's curdled and then sweetened, called cortada. In the Dominican Republic, it is made with equal parts milk and sugar with cinnamon, and the texture is more like fudge. In Puerto Rico, dulce de leche is sometimes made with unsweetened coconut milk. A variant of Chilean manjar incorporating cannabis-infused butter and originating in Valparaíso is called ganjar.