Canillitas de Leche

Well, this should not be called Canillitas de Leche, since I shaped them into something else completely.  I have been searching for months, to the point of obsession, for this recipe.  This one is the best I could find.

The flavor is great, but I was disapointed to find that they turned out with a grainy texture, I don’t know if it’s because I stirred it the wrong way, you know how sugar can crystalize.  We will try this recipe again and update my post to let you know about the grainy issue.

Still, grainy or not, these didn’t last very long!  The flavor is great, but let’s call them Milk Candies.

The true Canillitas de Leche from Antigua (artisan Guatemalan candies), specifically the ones from Maria Gordillo…. they haunt me.  First of all, they are completely white.  Second of all, they melt in your mouth and you don’t get any grainy texture whatsoever.  I am starting to think that their recipe is made by mixing milk, powdered milk and confectioner’s sugar, without putting it through a cooking process.  There’s no way you’re going to get candy that color after adding so much sugar and stirring it for one hour.  How do they make it??!  Hoooooow?!! See this picture to the left?  It haunts me. This picture of White Canillitas de Leche is courtesy of Around Antigua. Make sure to check their blog is you are traveling to Antigua…

Anyway, I shall succeed!  We got a tip from a friend to try this recipe again using confectioner’s sugar instead of regular sugar. We’ll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, I leave you with this recipe which is the next best thing. Aren’t they cute though?

Honestly, I never did reach the 240 F, so I just stirred the mixture for 65 minutes.  The consistency resembled soft sugar cookie dough, which was easy for me to shape and emboss with the little molds I used to make our Easter Cookies. ( You can find those at cooking stores).

Canillitas de Leche
(Fine!…Milk Candies)
Makes about 50 candies, depending on the size you shape them

Ingredients:

1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedure:

1. Mix evaporated milk, regular whole milk, sugar, vanilla and the cinnamon stick in a heavy medium sized pot.
2. Let it boil on medium-low heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it reaches a temperature  240° F. ( This will take about 45 to 65 minutes).
3. Adjust the temperature as needed to the mixture doesn’t boil over.  As soon as it reaches the temperature, remove it from the stove.
4. Remove the cinnamon stick.  Stir vigorously in intervals until the mixture cools, thickens a bit more and you are able to handle it. ( I used my Kitchenaid for this part)
5. Cover a cookie sheet or two, with wax paper. Take tablespoonsfulls of your mixture to form into shapes, or use a piping bag without a tip to form disks as shown. Press them down with your finger.
6. If you will use your hands to shape your candy, coat them with flour so the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands. Once you have finished forming your candies, let them dry.
7. Keep in a tight lid container at room temperature.

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