Leche Quemada Candy
Ingredients
* Sixteen ounces of sugar
* One can of Eagle Brand Condensed milk (14 ounces)
* One can of either Pet of Carnation evaporated milk (5 ounces)
* 1/2 pound of Pecans
Utensils
* Deep pot in which to cook the candy. The one I currently use is 3-1/2
inches deep and 8-1/2 inches wide.
* Wooden spoon with long handle
* Medium size cookie sheet
Directions
* The cookie sheet does not need to be buttered or floured. Just be certain
it is close by on a flat surface and ready for when you pour out the mixture
onto it for cooling. If you are going to add pecans then they must also be
ready to add at the very last minute.
* PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE ONLY COOKED THIS ON A GAS STOVE AND NOT AN
ELECTRIC STOVE.
* First pour the 5-ounce can of evaporated milk into the deep pot and place
over a slightly low fire. It should only a take a moment or two to warm up
and almost start to boil. At this point start stirring in the Eagle Brand
Condensed milk and keep stirring to make sure it mixes in with the
evaporated milk. This usually takes me about two to three minutes. After
that I'll lower the flame down real low.
* I think all stoves are different, but, on the stove I use, the lowest
flame is the one that I need in order to be able to stir for about 35
minutes which is essential if you want to make this candy. It is the cooking
over a low flame for about 35 minutes that makes the candy - take my word
for it because I've ruined several batches!
* Now start adding in the sugar. I sort of drizzle it into the pot in
amounts no larger than about two to three tablespoons at a time. As I am
adding in the sugar I continuously stir so that the sugar will not wind up
in a large lump in the pot. So remember to stir and stir and stir and stir!
It takes me another ten or so minutes to stir in the last of the sugar. This
mixture will be boiling and roiling up a bit the entire time. Again,
continue to stir and stir and stir and stir. Probably the in the last ten to
fifteen minutes of the stirring you will begin to see dark brown flecks
coming up from the bottom. As you continue stirring they'll usually break up
and begin to make the mixture darker in color. If you see that the brown
flecks are sticking to the bottom then either you're not stirring enough or
possibly the flame is a tiny bit too high. You might want to take the pot
off of the flame for a minute or so while continuing to stir and then put
the pot back on the flame.
* At the very end you dump in the pecans in and then quickly pour the
mixture onto the cookie sheet.
Use the wooden spoon to smooth out the mixture on the cookie sheet. The
mixture will probably not take up the entire medium-sized cookie sheet. It
should take a couple of hours to cool down. I then take a study butcher
knife and cut it up into small squares.