Homemade sweetened condensed milk is an easy recipe to whip up, for any level of home cook. It's thick, creamy & luscious just like it's canned store-bought counter part, but with half the sugar. This basic recipe is one you'll want to keep on hand in the family recipe box, to use & share over and over again!
In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring the milk and the sugar to a boil over medium heat.
1 liter whole milk, 1 cup granulated sugar
Reduce the heat to low, and simmer very gently for about 2 hours until the volume is reduced by half. The milk should be barely simmering and never boiling at any point.
Use a timer, and stir every 15 minutes to keep the 'skin' from developing on top.
After 2 hours, stir in the butter.
1 tbsp butter
Remove the pot from heat, and allow to cool. The milk will continue to thicken as it cools.
Notes
When refrigerated, the homemade version has thicker consistency than the commercial one. You can add a few drops of water and whisk it lightly if desired to get a thinner mixture.