Pastillas De Leche (Philippine Soft Milk Candy)

Pastillas de Leche if directly translated from Spanish means “milk tablets” or “milk pills” which basically describes this Filipino sweet delicacy. This is made from evaporated milk with some mixtures to make it like a dough. The dough will be formed into small shape and be coated with sugar. 

This can't be usually found in other countries and to taste Philippines sweet delicacy at your place, I made this step by step instructable. 

This recipe can produce 50 small pieces, but number can vary in size.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Evaporated Milk
• 1/3 cup Milk powder
• 1 can condensed Milk
• few drops of Vanilla Extract
• Sugar
• Butter

* note: if making more just make this as the ratio.

Materials to use:

• wooden stick
• cooking pan(try not using tefal)
• plates
• mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Knife
• Chopping Board
• Container (For sugar)

Most important thing needed
PRESENCE OF BODY AND MIND or else...

In the cooking pan Boil the evaporated milk until you see evaporation in the liquid. you may see around 3/4 left from the original.

Place in the condensed milk it with the boiling evaporated milk. 

just continue to mix

Measure 1/3 cup of powdered milk and add it into the boiling mixture.

Keep mixing the mixture until the powdered milk is dissolved.

*Note: you could actually use any powdered milk but they may have different taste.

Adding vanilla extract will give out good fragrance of vanilla. It will also give out a little twitch in the taste.

*note: do not put too much or it will make a gradual difference with the taste.

The texture of the mixture will change as the milk evaporates.

This step took around 10 minutes. 

While waiting you still have to mix to even out the heat to the mixture.

stiffing of the mixtures on the side can be a sign that it could be already cooled just give some time after seeing them while mixing.

*note: Just be careful not to over cook it, you will see black things if it does.

In a Mixing bowl put in ice, Water and salt. (ICE BATH)

 I suggest preparing a glass bowl so that the heat wont go to your hands after transferring.

You may want to put some butter to the inner surface of the Bowl so that the mixture wont stick.

Now being ready with everything, Transfer the Boiled mixture to the glass bowl and then put it into the ICE BATH

In the ICE BATH it could take minutes just watch it to harden more

*Info: Salt will lower freezing point not to melt the ice quickly.

We will need to coat it with Sugar so that it wont be sticky, and we also need its packaging

        Just get any container and fill it with refined sugar

you can also prepare your packaging because  cooling will take time.

        In packaging you can use any material like cellophane, bond paper or even Japanese paper.

        The size and the design is up to you to decide.

If the mixture is sticky just make a long cylinder most likely to be compared to a short snake.

Cut the long cylinder into desired length.

If the mixture is not moldable you can add 1 and 1/2 cup powdered milk to achieve the desired dough like texture.

Put the molded dough into the sugar prepared in step 8

make sure every corner is coated with sugar.

This coating will cover the pastillas since it is very sticky.

After coating you can just transfer it into another plate and store it in the refrigerator, but if you want a good packaging and to make it also free from insects step 8 will be useful.

to pack it like the one in the pictures
steps:

1. Put the coated pastillas into the bond paper then roll it. (position and roll it)
2. Put the rolled bond paper with the pastillas to the center of the cellophane (center it)
3. Match the edge then fold inwards to the center (fold it)
4. Twist both sides of the cellophane. (twist it)

*Note: you can pack it your own way, with your own materials


ENJOY!