How to Make Pastillas de Leche (Candied Milk)

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 5, 2022 Tested

Pastillas de leche is a popular Filipino candy treat. It only has a few simple ingredients and resembles a sweetened caramel in consistency and taste. While traditionally Pastillas use fresh milk from a water buffalo, there are plenty of variations that can be made anywhere.

Ingredients

Classic Pastillas

5 cups (1.25 litres; 2.6 pints) of milk, preferably whole
2/3 cup (150 g; 5.3 oz) white, granulated sugar, plus an extra 1/2 cup (115 g; 4.1 oz) for coating
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup (140 g; 4.9 oz) powdered milk, preferably whole
Lime zest, cinnamon, and/or vanilla extract (optional)

No-Cook Pastillas

1 can (14 oz; 397 g) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups (360 g; 12.7 oz) powdered milk
White granulated sugar

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cooking Classic Pastillas

1
Mix the milk and sugar together in a large saucepan on low heat. Mix 5 cups (1.25 litres; 2.6 pints) of milk with 2/3 cup (150 g; 5.3 oz) of sugar in the pan, stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved. You don't have to worry about preheating the pan, it can start cold as the sugar dissolves.
2
Cook the mixture, stirring regularly, for an hour. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent burning. You want the mixture to turn into a thin paste, bubbling and simmering all the while.^{[1]
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- The liquid will reduce, meaning dissipate until there is not much left, throughout this process.
- Do not turn the heat up to try and speed things along -- you'll just burn the sugar.
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3
Add the butter, and powdered milk and mix into a dough. Add two tablespoons of butter and 3/4 a cup (140 g; 4.9 oz) of powdered whole milk and mix it well. Let the final "dough" cook for another few minutes until it pulls off the sides of the pan in one big chunk.
- Cut the butter into small pieces to help it melt faster.
4
Remove from the heat and let cool on parchment paper. The paper will prevent the dough from sticking to the surface as it cools. When it is cool enough to handle, move on.
5
Remove a ball of dough and roll it into a small, 1-2" (2.54-5.08 cm) cylinder in your hands. The dough should be between 1/2-1" (1.27-2.54 cm) thick. For this recipe, you should end up with 35-45 individual pastillas de leche.^{[2]
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6
Coat each roll in granulated sugar. Lay some white sugar out on a plate and roll the candies in the sugar to coat them completely. They are ready to serve!
7
Try some variations on the recipe by adding flavors with the butter and powdered milk. Try mixing up your pastillas with a little something special. Add ingredients with the butter and mix them in well so that there are no "unflavored" patches. Some to try include:
- Zest from a lime, orange or lemon.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla, almond, or peppermint extract.
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin spice.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

No-Cook Pastillas

1
Pour 1 can (14 ounces; 397 g) of sweetened condensed milk into a large bowl. It should give you room to mix ingredients without spilling. Use a metal bowl, if possible, as plastic can impart an odd or unappealing flavor to the final candies.
2
Gently fold in 2 cups (360 g; 12.7 oz) of powdered milk. Add the milk a bit at a time and use a rubber spatula to literally fold it into the condensed milk. The final consistency will resemble dough, and you should mix it up enough that there are no clumps of powder left anywhere.
3
Pinch off some dough and roll it into a small roll. It should be about an inch thick, and 1-2" long, though you can feel free to adjust this to your preferences.
4
Repeat the process to make more and coat the rolls in granulated sugar. Take each roll and roll it in white granulated sugar to coat it completely.^{[3]
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- This no-cook version yields between twenty-one to twenty-two ounces of candy.