Traditional Chilean Dishes
Chilean Baked Milk: the authentic recipe from Chile
Discover authentic Chilean baked milk: a homemade dessert of milk, egg, and sugar, with caramel at the bottom, firm edges, and a golden, slightly toasted surface. A traditional, simple recipe perfect for sharing with family.
Chilean baked milk is cooked directly in a large dish and served without unmolding. Its soft texture, the aroma of cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon, and the rustic finish of the oven make it a classic of Chilean homemade desserts.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓1 liter of whole milk
- ✓6 large eggs
- ✓180 g of sugar for the mixture
- ✓1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
- ✓1 cinnamon stick
- ✓The fine zest of half a lemon, without the white part
- ✓50 g of sugar to caramelize the dish
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Preheat the oven to 180 °C, with heat up and down
Preheat the oven to 180 °C, with heat up and down. Choose a large ceramic or glass dish, about 20 by 30 centimeters.
- 02
Distribute the 50 g of sugar in the bottom of the dish
Distribute the 50 g of sugar in the bottom of the dish. Take the dish to the oven for a few minutes, constantly watching, until the sugar melts and takes on a light amber tone. Avoid it getting too dark so it doesn’t become bitter.
- 03
While the sugar is melting, place the milk in a pot along with…
While the sugar is melting, place the milk in a pot along with the cinnamon stick and the fine zest of half a lemon. Heat it over medium heat until it’s hot, but not boiling.
- 04
Turn off the heat, add the teaspoon of vanilla and let the milk rest…
Turn off the heat, add the teaspoon of vanilla and let the milk rest for 10 minutes. Then remove the cinnamon and lemon zest.
- 05
In a large bowl, beat the 6 eggs with the 180 g of sugar until…
In a large bowl, beat the 6 eggs with the 180 g of sugar until the sugar is incorporated and the mixture looks uniform. Beat with calm movements to not incorporate too much air.
- 06
Add the hot milk slowly over the eggs, mixing continuously…
Add the hot milk slowly over the eggs, mixing continuously. If the milk is very hot, wait a couple of minutes before incorporating it to avoid partially cooking the eggs.
- 07
Carefully remove the caramelized dish using kitchen gloves
Carefully remove the caramelized dish using kitchen gloves. Tilt it gently to distribute the caramel all over the bottom. Pour the milk and egg mixture over it, slowly and close to the surface.
- 08
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. The baked milk will be ready when the edges are firm, the center trembles slightly when moving the dish, and the surface is golden and toasted.
- 09
If the surface browns too quickly and the center is still very liquid…
If the surface browns too quickly and the center is still very liquid, cover the dish lightly with aluminum foil and continue baking. If the center is almost set but lacks color, bring the dish closer to the top of the oven for a few minutes, watching that it doesn’t burn.
- 10
Remove the dish from the oven and let the baked milk cool completely…
Remove the dish from the oven and let the baked milk cool completely to room temperature. Then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.
- 11
Serve it directly from the dish, cold or at room temperature,…
Serve it directly from the dish, cold or at room temperature, using a spoon or spatula. It doesn’t need to be unmolded.
- Use a large dish so the baked milk sets evenly.
- Heat the milk without letting it boil and remove all the white part of the lemon zest to avoid a bitter taste.
- Don’t overbeat the eggs; this way you’ll get a smoother texture with fewer bubbles.
- The center should tremble slightly when it comes out of the oven, because it will finish setting as it cools.
- Baking time may vary depending on the depth of the dish and the power of the oven; observe the firmness of the edges and the movement of the center.
- Keep the baked milk covered in the refrigerator and consume it ideally within the next 3 days.
- Serve it directly from the dish: its toasted surface and rustic presentation are part of its charm.