Mexico’s confection of choice - and my favorite childhood snack - was concocted by nuns in colonial convents but its roots that go back millennia to Southeast Asia.

4 cups goat’s milk 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour the milk into a 4- to 6-quart heavy-bottomed pot and set over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the baking soda over the milk, then whisk to combine. Whisk in the sugar to combine, then switch to a silicone spatula and bring the mixture to a boil — the milk will foam and rise up. Remove the pot from the heat just before the foam reaches the top.

Reduce the heat to low. When the foam subsides, return the pot to the heat and bring to a simmer, gradually raising the heat to medium. Maintain a lively simmer and cook until the mixture reduces and turns a golden brown, stirring every 2 to 5 minutes to prevent scorching on the sides and bottom, about 1 hour.

Stir in the salt, raise the heat to medium-high and, now stirring constantly, bring the cajeta to a low boil, until you start to catch glimpses of the bottom of the pot, about 15 minutes. You can stop here for a pourable, sauce-like consistency. Or, for a thicker, more pudding-like consistency, continue cooking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Keep in mind that the cajeta will continue to thicken as it cools.

Remove from the heat and continue to stir until the cajeta stops simmering. Mix in the vanilla and scrape the cajeta into a 2-cup glass jar with a lid. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the top of the cajeta; this prevents a skin from forming. Let cool completely, then cover with a lid.

Makes 2 cups

Recipe from “Learn to make cajeta, a Mexico confection with multilayered sweetness and history” by Adriana Velez in the Washington Post