Dairy & Eggs
Dulce de Leche (Can) in gelato
Dulce de leche is a caramelized, sweetened concentrated-milk paste (about 71% solids) used as a ready-made flavor base in gelato. It contributes dairy solids, sucrose, fat and deep Maillard flavor in one ingredient.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 71% |
| Water | 29% |
| Sugars | 49% |
| Fat | 7% |
| MSNF | 13.5% |
| Protein | 7.5% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 44 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 51 |
Typical use: Typically 10-25% of the mix as the primary flavor base; some recipes push to ~30% for an intense caramel profile.
Balance dulce de leche (can) in a real recipe
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Because it is roughly 49% sugar (mostly sucrose) with about 7% fat and 13-14% milk solids-non-fat, dulce de leche behaves like a combined sugar, dairy and flavor source. Its PAC (~51) sits just above pure sucrose, so it lowers freezing point and softens the scoop modestly, while its POD (~44) adds real sweetness; both must be counted in the balance rather than added on top of the base. Its high MSNF and lactose raise total milk solids quickly, so watch the lactose-saturation limit when using large doses. Best added by displacing part of the recipe's sugar and skim-milk powder to keep total solids and sweetness in range.
Origin & background
Dulce de leche is a traditional confection of Latin America, especially Argentina and Uruguay, made by slowly heating milk with sugar so caramelization and the Maillard reaction develop its brown color and toffee flavor. USDA FoodData Central classifies it under 'Dairy and Egg Products,' reflecting that it is fundamentally concentrated milk plus added sucrose.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central - Dulce de Leche (via nutritionvalue.org, USDA SR data): https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Dulce_de_Leche_nutritional_value.html
- USDA-derived nutrition profile, Dulce de Leche (myfooddata / FDC 173461): https://tools.myfooddata.com/nutrition-facts/173461/wt9
- Brazilian technical review 'A quimica e a tecnologia do doce de leite' (RSD Journal) - centesimal composition of doce de leite (humidity 26.9%, fat 6.8%, protein 8.6%, carbs 55.8%, ash 1.7%): https://rsdjournal.org/rsd/article/download/19408/17900
- Foodstruct - Dulce de Leche composition (USDA-based, supporting): https://foodstruct.com/food/dulce-de-leche