When I was a kid my friend told me that this had happened to his little brother. Lost track of time, pan boiled dry, can exploded , sticky semi-caramel substance blasted all over kitchen. Had to redecorate.
Guys and Dolls featured Cuban dulce de leche. This is Argentinian dulce de leche. I don’t know if Cubans really do have a drink as described in the movie, but this stuff definitely isn’t a drink.
Cider, right in my ear!
Could you do it in a crockpot, I wonder? It would take longer, obviously. But you would avoid the risk of forgetting to add more water.
Not in my experience. Not with the dulce, but with crockpots. Topping off the water is still something that has to be done if you cook a long time.
Still, maybe it would be less frequent.
My Brazilian wife has been doing this for decades–it is one of her favorite treats.
She cooks them in the pressure cooker. She first peels the labels off (to not clog the vent), then fills the pot enough to cover the cans. Once the cooker starts hissing she leaves it for a half hour.
She prefers Eagle brand. Carnation seems to result in a different texture.
She keeps a dedicated old pressure cooker for this since the goo from the peeled labels does form a ring around the pot that is all but impossible to remove.
I love dulce de leche but I am now cursed with lactose intolerance.
I’ve been told that you can do it in a crockpot, only you pour it out of the can and don’t use the water either. Just condensed milk on low, but I don’t know how long it takes.
Try WD-40.
Nah, I’m going to stick with using cans of condensed milk, but I’m sorta traditional that way.
Nyuck nyuck nyuck.
I understand Bacardi flavoring works well, too.
I’ve done it in a crock pot overnight on the low setting. Works just fine. Edited to add… Put the cans in the Crock-Pot, add water to cover the cans, put the lid on. Then you’re good to go.
In my New England family this has always been known as “caramel pudding” 
and has always been served on top of a canned pineapple ring.
Name some desserts that this would be added?
Ice Cream?
Chocolate cake?
Banana Bread?
Any or all of those. It’s like a caramel sauce.
I myself wouldn’t take a chance, boiling a can in water. I think there is a chance of explosion. Even if the ‘If you do it this way, properly’ crowd weighs in. I once had a cookbook from the library, and this recipe was in the pages, and a square of paper was glued over that recipe referring the reader to the front of the book. In the front of the book was yet ANOTHER square of paper glued on advising to NOT boil an unopened can in water. If the writer or publisher of that cookbook went to all that trouble of correcting the dangerous recipe, I would be leery of attempting it. Unless the can was opened a bit, even a 1/4 inch hole in the top.
Coffee. Just a glop of the stuff in a hot cup of strong coffee? MMMMMmmmmMMmMMmm
Pour the caramelized milk into a pie shell, chill, and you’ve got caramel pie.