A creamy, milk gelatin dessert made with cajeta, a traditional Mexican treat.
By Karla Diaz Cano
I took my first cooking class back in Mexico when I was 9 years old. A group of girls my age gathered at a lady’s house once a week, where she taught us how to cook basics like beans, rice and fried eggs and showed us how to set a table and shop for groceries. I learned a lot in those classes (probably things that a 9 year old wouldn’t typically know, or care to know) but I think the absolute best thing I got from those classes was this Cajeta Jello recipe – my family loves it and people always ask me for the recipe. It is a definite crowd-pleaser. And now I’m sharing it with you. 
Cajeta is typical Mexican sweet made by heating goat’s milk with sugar to create a thick syrup, very much like caramel. Flavorings like vanilla or brandy are sometimes added to create a deeper flavor. Cajeta is very similar to dulce de Leche, which is a tad sweeter and is made cow’s milk.
In Mexico we use cajeta in many ways –in candies and crepes, between two graham crackers, on ice cream, spread on toast, with fruit, by the spoonful and in all sorts of desserts. If you cannot find cajeta in a Mexican food store, you can purchase it online.
Cajeta Gelatin Dessert or {Gelatina}
- Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 1x
Description
Creamy, milk gelatin dessert made with cajeta, a traditional Mexican treat.
Ingredients
- 1 10.5 oz jar (310 g) cajeta (preferably Coronado brand)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 12-oz (354 mL) can evaporated milk
- 1 14-oz (369 g) can condensed milk
- 3 1-oz (28 g) packages flavorless gelatin
- 3/4 cup water
Instructions
- Place water in a small bowl and add the flavorless gelatin. Let it sit until it hardens (about 10 minutes).
- Meanwhile, place the 3 milks and the cajeta in the blender. Blend until completely combined.
- Once the flavorless gelatin hardens, melt it in a small pot or in the microwave. Add it to the milk and cajeta mixture and blend.
- Pour into a 6-cup capacity jell-o mold or 12-1/2 cup smaller molds. If you feel the mixture is a bit hot, let it cool before placing it in the refrigerator. Allow gelatin to harden, for about 5 hours.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 5 hours
oh, this looks so perfect!
I am making it right now. Looks and smells delightful.
Do you mean 12 packages of unflavored gelatin?
I follow your exact instructions and my gelatin didn’t set . Was I suppose to boil everything first ? And the flavorless gelatin never harden like you say it would . What did I do wrong did I miss a step?
I am confused. Is it 3 1oz. boxes or three envelopes of unflavored gelatin? The recipe doesn’t say to heat the milks and cajetake mixture, but, it does say to let it cool if it’s too hot. Help, please.