| How to Make Dulce De Leche Posted: 31 Oct 2019 05:00 PM PDT Dulce de leche (pronounced "DOOL-se de LE-che," meaning candy of milk) is a rich syrup similar in flavor to caramel. It is a common ingredient in South American desserts. If you want to add a delicious sweet flavor to your desserts, it's easy to make your own dulce de leche at home. Most recipes involve boiling or baking condensed milk until it reduces into a syrup. You can also use regular milk mixed with sugar to produce dulce de leche. [Edit]Boiling Condensed Milk - Peel the label off of a can of sweetened condensed milk. Search your supermarket for sweetened condensed milk. It is usually in the baking section. Take off as much of the label as you can. For the sticky portion, you can use a wet sponge to scrub the remainder of the label off.[1]
- Read the cans carefully. Containers for condensed milk look very similar to evaporated milk, and evaporated milk won't work for making dulce de leche.
- Get multiple cans if you want to make more dulce de leche.
- Place the can in a pot and cover it with water. Stand the can on the bottom of the pot. Then add water until the water is at least above the top of the can. Make sure the pot is tall enough that you can completely cover the can with water while it's standing up.[2]
- Don't fill the pot all the way to the top or it could overflow when the water starts boiling.
- Depending on the size of the pot, you can put multiple cans in here at the same time for even more dulce de leche.
- The water can be any temperature, but pouring in water that is already hot will make the water boil faster.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Turn on a high flame and wait for the water to boil. When bubbles start rising to the surface, you know the water is boiling. At this point, reduce the flame and let the pot simmer.[3]
- Let it simmer for 2-3 hours on a low flame. Once the water has boiled, reduce the flame to a low setting. This should bring the water to a light simmer. Let the pot simmer for 2 to 3 hours, depending on how dark you want your dulce de leche.[4]
- The longer you let the condensed milk simmer, the darker the dulce de leche will be. If you prefer lighter dulce de leche, take the cans out after 2 hours. Wait longer if you want a darker dulce de leche.
- Use tongs to remove the can from the water. Once the can has boiled long enough, remove it with a pair of tongs. This stops the cooking process so your dulce de leche is exactly how you want it.[5]
- Let the can cool completely before opening it. After you remove the can, set it down somewhere safe and let it cool. This could take several hours.[6]
- Do not attempt to open the can while it's still hot. The contents are under pressure, and opening it too early could cause hot dulce de leche to spray out and burn you.
- When you do open the can, the dulce de leche should have a thick, syrupy consistency and pour out easily.
- Store the sealed can at room temperature for up to 3 months. An unopened can of dulce de leche will stay fresh for up to 3 months at room temperature. Simply place the can in your cupboard and use it when you want to.[7]
- If you've opened the can, you can pour it into an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 weeks.
[Edit]Cooking Condensed Milk in the Oven - Pour condensed milk into an x baking dish. Open up the can and empty its contents into the dish. Spread the milk around with a spoon or spatula if it doesn't cover the entire bottom of the dish.[8]
- You can pour in multiple cans for this method for a bigger serving of dulce de leche. Just be careful not to overflow the baking pan.
- Cover the baking dish with tin foil. Rip off a layer of tin foil large enough to cover the dish. Use more than one sheet if you have to. Tuck the foil under the sides of the dish so it stays secure during the baking process.[9]
- Place the baking dish inside a larger baking dish. This larger dish should be large enough so the smaller dish can sit in it comfortably. It should also have taller sides than the smaller dish so it doesn't overflow when you add water.[10]
- For an x bowl, a x would be large enough.
- Add water until it reaches ¾ the height of the smaller dish. This water surrounds the original dish so when it starts boiling, the water reduces the sugar in the condensed milk.[11]
- This water can be any temperature, but if it's already hot, it will make the boiling process faster.
- Bake the milk at for 90 minutes. Keep an eye on the water level as the milk bakes. If water is evaporating, use a pitcher to add more so it stays at the desired level.[12]
- If you feel unsteady transferring a dish full of water to the oven without spilling it, you can put the dishes in the oven without the water. Then use a pitcher to fill the dish.
- Remove the dishes from the oven and stir the milk. After 90 minutes, the condensed milk should break down enough and produce dulce de leche. Complete the job by removing the foil covering. Then use a spatula or spoon to stir the syrup until it combines. Break down any solid pieces that have formed.[13]
- The dulce de leche should have a thick, syrupy consistency and have a similar color to caramel.
- You could also pour the milk into a blender for a more thorough mixing.
- Refrigerate the dulce de leche for up to 3 weeks. If you don't use the dulce de leche right away, you can store it in the refrigerator. Store the mixture in an airtight container or jar and place it in the refrigerator. It should last 3 weeks if properly stored.[14]
[Edit]Making Dulce de Leche with Regular Milk - Pour 1 quart (0.9 liters) of whole milk into a pot. Make sure this pot is large enough so the milk won't over flow when it starts boiling. 1 quart (0.9 liters) of milk will produce about 1 cup (0.24 liters) of dulce de leche, so use more milk if you need more dulce de leche.[15]
- You can also use different types of milk for a different taste. Coconut milk works for a vegan option, and goat milk produces a different flavor.[16]
- Add 1 cup (128 g) of sugar. If you prefer your dulce de leche even sweeter, you can add 1 ¼ cups (160 g) of sugar. If you prefer it less sweet, add only ¾ cup (96 g) of sugar.[17]
- If you'd like, you can also add some vanilla for flavor. Put either a split vanilla bean or of vanilla extract.
- Stir the mixture over a medium flame. Place the pot on the stove over a medium flame. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved.[18]
- After all the sugar has dissolved, you can stir in 0.25 tsp (5 g) of baking soda to prevent the milk from coagulating. This is optional, but will produce a smoother dulce de leche.
- Let the milk boil for 90 to 120 minutes, stirring regularly. Once all the sugar has dissolved, leave the pot on a medium flame and allow it to boil. Stir the mixture regularly to help it reduce and prevent it from burning.[19]
- As the milk reduces, it will start changing color from white to caramel. This is a good sign and means that your dulce de leche is nearing completion.
- The amount of time you let the milk boil depends on how dark you like your dulce de leche. If you prefer it lighter, take it off at 90 minutes. If you want it darker, leave it on a full 2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool. Place the pot on an unlit burner on the stovetop and allow it to cool. Stir it one final time while it's cooling.[20]
- Making dulce de leche this way may produce more chunks and solid pieces than using condensed milk. This is normal. It will still have a syrupy consistency.
- If you prefer your dulce de leche extra smooth, you can pour it through a strainer to mix out any solid pieces left behind. This is optional and doesn't affect the final taste.
- Pour the mixture into an airtight jar and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. If you don't use the dulce de leche right away, you can store it for several weeks. Transfer it into an airtight jar or container and place it in the refrigerator. It can last about 3 weeks if stored properly.[21]
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Boiling Condensed Milk - Can of condensed milk
- Pot
- Stove
- Tongs
- Water
[Edit]Cooking Condensed Milk in the Oven - Can of condensed milk
- Tinfoil
- 8' x 8' and 9' x 13' baking dish
- Water
- Jar for storage
- Spatula or spoon
[Edit]Making Dulce de Leche with Regular Milk - 1 qt of whole milk
- 1 cup of sugar
- Vanilla bean or vanilla extract
- Baking soda
- Cooking pot
- Stove
- Can for storage
- Spatula or spoon
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Draw a Brain Posted: 31 Oct 2019 09:00 AM PDT The brain is one of the most fun parts of the body to draw. You can make it as simple as you like by drawing lots of squiggles and keeping the shape round. If you want more of a challenge, include anatomical parts, such as the brain stem and cerebellum. Once you've drawn the cartoon or realistic brain, you can go back and add color or label the parts. [Edit]Sketching an Easy Cartoon Brain - Draw a large bean shape to make the outline for the brain. Use a pencil to sketch a kidney bean shape on your paper. You can make the outline for the brain any size you like. To make the kidney bean shape, draw a circle that has an indent at the bottom.[1]
- If you prefer, you could draw an oval instead, but make the middle noticeably wider than the ends.
- Make a half-circle from the bottom that curls into the middle of the brain. To highlight a section of the cartoon brain, place your pencil on the bottom line of the outline near the center where it indents. Draw a half-circle that extends from the bottom into the center so it looks like a curlicue.[2]
- Remember that the brain doesn't need to look realistic since you're making a simple cartoon drawing.
- Draw 2 to 3 squiggly lines that connect across the brain. The brain is known for looking wrinkly and some of those wrinkles extend across the entire brain. Make a few wiggly lines that move from the outline to the half-circle you just drew or have them touch the opposite side of the brain.[3]
- Sketch lots of small squiggles that don't connect. These will look like wrinkles once you've made them over the entire brain. There's no need to make them all connect to each other, so make your squiggles different sizes and lengths.[4]
- Your lines can extend in from the outline of the brain or you can make them disconnected from the outline.
- Make the outline thicker to add texture to the brain. Go back and draw over some of the lines you made for the outline to make them bolder and curvy. You can also draw over some of the squiggles so they stand out.[5]
- You can skip this step if you want your cartoon brain to look more 2-dimensional.
[Edit]Drawing a Realistic Brain - Draw a horizontal oval that juts out along the bottom line. Lightly sketch an oval that's as large as you want the brain to be. Curve the top of the oval in the middle to make the rounded part of the brain. When you're drawing the bottom line, make it bump out near the middle. The bump should be about 1/3 the size of the brain's length.[6]
- Keep your pencil marks light so you can erase mistakes or go over them with a pen.
- Sketch a narrow curve above the top line of the brain. This will give your drawing a sense of dimension. Place your pencil on one end of the oval and draw a line that curves over the top line. It should be about above the original outline at its widest point.[7]
- If you don't want to give the brain dimension, you can skip this step.
- Make a curve that looks like a C on the bottom bump. Now that you've drawn the basic outline for the brain, you'll start to draw lines that separate the different segments of the brain. Locate the bump you made on the bottom line and draw the base of a C shape so it fits into the bump. Extend the top of the C towards the middle of the brain.[8]
- The area of the bump will be the temporal lobe.
- Trace a curved line from the outline to the middle of the line you just made. To make another segment of the brain, lightly draw a line from the original top of the brain. Make it curve slightly so it connects to the middle of the line you just drew.[9]
- This segment that you blocked off will be the frontal lobe.
- Draw 2 to 3 long curved lines across each segment of the brain. Use a light touch to make several lines for each part. Try to mimic the shape of the individual segment. For example, the frontal lobe lines should make an arc up toward the line you drew through the brain while the lines near the back and bottom of the brain should curve down toward the base.[10]
- You'll use these faint lines as guidelines so it's easier to make the brain's wrinkles.
- Add half-moon shapes along the lines to make them look wrinkled. Instead of leaving the smooth lines, make half-moon curves along the lines. The curves can go in different directions so the brain looks bumpy. Do this for each line to give the brain its distinctive texture.[11]
- Remember to go back along the sliver that you drew on top of the brain. Make small curves along this to make the brain appear bumpy.
- Draw a stem and horizontal half-circle at the bottom center of the brain. To make the brain stem (medulla oblongata), sketch a narrow tube that extends from the bottom of the brain at the center. You can make it go down as far as you like. Then, draw a half-circle directly to the right of the stem. Make the half-circle go almost to that end of the brain.[12]
- To make the cerebellum more detailed, you can fill it with thin horizontal lines. Make the lines a little wavy so they look realistic.
- Use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to add color to your drawing. You can use a single color and shade in the brain to add depth or use several colors to highlight different segments of the brain.
- For example, use 5 or 6 colors if you'll be labeling the parts of the brain. The different colors can help the segments stand out.
- Label the parts of the brain if you want to use it as an anatomy reference. If you're studying parts of the brain for a class, drawing the brain and labeling it is good practice. Refer to your textbook to label the:
- Frontal lobe
- Parietal lobe
- Temporal lobe
- Occipital lobe
- Medulla oblongata
- Cerebellum
- If you're struggling to draw a brain, start with a really basic oval shape and draw squiggles or wrinkles all over it. As you become more confident, you can add more details.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Pencils or pens
- Eraser
- Paper
- Colored pencils or markers, optional
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Trick or Treat Posted: 31 Oct 2019 01:00 AM PDT The jack-o-lanterns are carved, your costume is all picked out, and the sun is just starting to set on a spooky Halloween night. Now it's time for the best part: trick or treating! Grab a group of friends, take a couple of flashlights, and get ready to indulge that sweet tooth. With a few simple tips, you can have a safe and successful trick or treating experience, complete with a whole pile of tasty candy. Happy Halloween! [Edit]Going from House to House - Start trick or treating at around 6 or 6:30. You'll probably want to start trick or treating as soon as you get home from school, but be patient! Have a good dinner to fuel you up for the night, and wait until the sun starts to get a little lower before you head out. Aiming to leave by 6 or 6:30pm is a good goal.
- If you're going with younger kids, you might need to leave even earlier to make sure you get home by bedtime.
- Some smaller towns might have specified trick or treating times to follow. Ask your neighbors or check your local newspapers or bulletin boards to find out.
- Wear or make a costume that you can move in easily. When you're deciding what to dress up as, choose a costume that doesn't drag on the ground, which might make you trip in the dark. Check the weather beforehand and make any costume adjustments necessary to keep you warm (or cool!) enough at night. Make sure your shoes are comfortable, too—you'll be walking around in them all night! Avoid wearing masks, as well, which can make it hard to see. Go with face paint instead![1]
- Bring a pillowcase or bag to hold candy. You can collect candy in whatever container you want, but a pillowcase tends to hold the most. You can also go with a pumpkin-shaped container or a Halloween tote bag for an option with more holiday spirit. Try to bring something you can hold on to easily, and make sure it's strong enough to hold a few pounds of candy.
- You can even choose a bag that matches your costume. If you dress up as a mermaid, for example, you could have a bag with shiny sequins on it like scales, or bring one shaped like a fish.
- Only go up to a house if it has the lights on. Look for houses that have their front porch light on, with jack-o-lanterns and other Halloween decorations out front. This means that the people are home and celebrating—and ready to give you candy! If the house's lights are off, they're probably not around. Skip it and go on to the next one instead.[2]
- Take candy from a bowl on the ground, if it's there. Some people will leave a bowl of candy on their front step when they know they'll be out on Halloween night. In this case, just take one candy from the bowl (unless there's a note saying you can take more) and move on.
- It's tempting to take a lot of candy when there's no one there to see, but remember that other kids will be coming to the house after you. Let them get their share of candy, too.
- Knock on the door or ring the doorbell. If no one answers your knock after a minute or so, you can try one more time. If no one answers after that, just go on to the next house. It might feel a little disappointing, but you'll save time and get more candy if you move on fast.[3]
- Don't touch any Halloween decorations or anything on their porch on your way up to the door. You don't want to break anything!
- Say "Trick or treat" and take one piece of the candy. When they open the door, smile and say "Trick or treat!" They'll probably say "Happy Halloween!" or compliment you on your costume, then hold out the candy. Don't hog the bowl to search for your favorite piece—just take the best one that you see on top. If you don't like any you see, just grab a piece anyways to be polite. You can always trade later with your friends![4]
- Just take one piece of candy, unless they say you can grab more.
- You can say "trick or treat" in a loud voice, but don't yell.
- Thank them and wish them a happy Halloween. After you've grabbed your candy, look up and say "Thank you! Happy Halloween!" This shows that you're polite and appreciative, and is especially important if you decide to come back next year. They might remember you and give you an extra piece![5]
- Walk on the sidewalk to get to the next house. No matter how quickly you want to move on to the next house, stick to the driveways and sidewalks to get there. It's rude to cut across people's lawns or gardens, and you might trample their shrubs or flowers by mistake.[6]
- Go from door to door if you live in an apartment complex. Trick or treating in an apartment building can be just as fun as going around the neighborhood! You won't have to worry about chilly (or hot) weather, plus you'll fill up your candy bag more quickly without walking quite as much. Knock on doors with Halloween decorations and jack-o-lanterns to make sure the inhabitants are handing out candy.[7]
- Trick or treating in an apartment complex is also safer, since you won't have to deal with traffic or dark streets.
- Head home by 8:30pm, at the latest. You might want to stay out all night getting more candy, but houses will start to run out as it gets later. Some people might want to go to sleep, too! Aim to be home by 8:30 so you can start checking out your candy and get to sleep at a good time.
- It can also get more dangerous to stay out past 8:30 or so, as fewer trick or treating groups are out.
- Ask your parents beforehand if they want you home by a certain time.
[Edit]Trick or Treating Safely - Go in a group with two or more friends. Trick or treating by yourself isn't any fun, and it's not as safe, either. Instead, head out with 2-4 of your friends! If you're under age 10, you should go with an adult, too.[8]
- In groups of 4 or more, try to stick with a buddy just in case you get separated from your main group.
- Set up a designated meeting place in case anyone gets separated from your group. Bring cell phones if you have them, too!
- You can even coordinate your costumes with your friends. Try going as the Three Musketeers, the Avengers, M&M's, or characters from a TV show, book, or movie, like Harry Potter or Winnie the Pooh.
- Trick or treat in a familiar neighborhood. By trick or treating in your neighborhood, you'll be less likely to get lost and can easily head home as soon as you get tired. You'll also be asking for candy from neighbors who know you, so they'll be more likely to give you an extra candy or two![9]
- Agree with your parents on a time to be home by.
- To save time and avoid getting lost, plan out your route beforehand. You can even walk it a few times in the days before to ensure you know where you're going.
- Bring a flashlight or wear a glow necklace to light your way. Sidewalks and driveways can get dark as the sun falls. Bring along a flashlight or a glow stick so you can see, or wear glow necklaces for more convenience. The light will also help cars see you if you need to cross the street.[10]
- Walk, don't run. It's hard to see in the dark, and even though you might want to get to the next house as fast you can, tripping and skinning a knee will bring your night to a fast end. Make sure you're walking and use basic street safety, too. Look both ways when you cross the street, and only cross at corners or crosswalks.[11]
- Don't eat any candy until you can sort through it at home. Save your appetite and haul your loot home before you dig in. You want to be able to remove any candy that's not in its original wrapper, or looks like it's been opened. Another great reason to wait: trading! Once you're home, dump out your candy and sort through it. Trade with your friends to get more of your favorite candies.[12]
- Don't forget to fuel up before you head out! Have a good dinner with some protein, like chili or chicken, and plenty of fruits and veggies to make sure you stay energized while you're out trick or treating.
- It's acceptable to go trick or treating up through your mid-teens.
[Edit]Warnings - Tell your group and the people at the house if you have any food allergies, especially to common candy ingredients like nuts or gluten.
- If you don't recognize a certain candy, or if it looks suspicious to you, throw it out! Bad people can hide deadly stuff in innocent-looking candy.
- Be very careful when walking around at night, especially on Halloween. Always stay in a group, and look both ways before you cross the street.
- Never go into a stranger's home. Even if they say, "The candy is inside the house!" or, "There's a haunted house inside! Come check it out!" never go in. Don't say yes just to be polite; instead, say, "No thank you," and walk away.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
