AI-generated image
Cortado de leche
Cortado de leche: milk curdled with lime and simmered in panela syrup with cinnamon
On farms in Antioquia and Santander, when there was more milk than anyone could drink, it became cortado: milk deliberately split with lime juice, then simmered slowly with panela and spices until the curds turn tender and tan and the whey reduces into a thin, molasses-flavoured syrup. It is a country dessert, served warm or cold in small bowls after Sunday lunch, sometimes with a piece of white cheese on the side. The texture is somewhere between a soft ricotta and baked custard, sweet and lightly spiced with cinnamon and clove. Because lime does the curdling, there is no rennet involved. Stirring hard as soon as the lime goes in is the usual mistake; it breaks the curds into grainy specks, so let them form undisturbed and then move the pan gently. Chef's tip: use full-fat milk that is not ultra-heat-treated; UHT milk gives smaller, softer curds.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bring 8 ¼ cups whole milk almost to the boil in a large, wide pan over a medium heat, until small bubbles appear around the edge.
10 minStep 2: Turn the heat to low, pour in ¼ cup lime juice and leave without stirring for 5 minutes, until large curds form and the liquid turns yellowish.
5 minStep 3: Meanwhile, dissolve 10 ½ oz panela in ½ cup water with 2 cinnamon sticks and 4 cloves in a small pan over a medium heat, for 3 minutes, until syrupy.
3 minStep 4: Pour the panela syrup gently around the curds, tilting the pan to mix rather than stirring.
Step 5: Simmer over a low heat for 35–40 minutes, nudging the curds occasionally with a spoon, until they are tan and tender and the liquid has reduced by about half into a thin syrup.
38 minStep 6: Remove the spices. Serve warm, or chill for at least 2 hours, until cold and slightly thickened.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 370 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 55 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cortado de leche take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Baklava
The famous layered pastry: crisp sheets of buttered fillo sandwich a filling of almonds, pistachios and cashews spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and saffron. After baking, the hot baklava is soaked in a syrup of sugar, honey, lemon, rose and cardamom and decorated with almond and pistachio flakes. Cut into 40 diamonds; serve with fresh cream or ice cream.
Custard sauce
Proper pouring custard made the easy way with custard powder. It's thick, smooth and lightly sweet, just right with apple pie, crumbles, fruit salad and trifle. Serve it warm, or chill it for trifles.
British
Chocolate sauce
A thick, glossy chocolate sauce made from store-cupboard cocoa and milk, ready in under 10 minutes. Pour it hot over vanilla ice cream, or let it cool and spread it on cakes and puddings.