Dulce De Leche Pudding

Directions

1. 1
   First, to make the dulce de leche: Place an unopened14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk in a small saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water until it comes 3/4 of the way up the sides of the can.
2. 2
   Bring the saucepan to a boil over high heat, then turn down to a strong simmer. Let simmer at least 3 hours and up to 5 hours, flipping the can every 30 minutes and adding more water whenever the level drops to the halfway point on the sides of the can.
3. 3
   Using a jar lifter, tongs, or heatproof oven mitt, remove can from water and let cool at room temperature until easy to handle, 30 minutes.
4. 4
   note: You'll need two cans' worth dulce de leche for this recipe, so either use a saucepan wide enough to accommodate two cans with room, or keep two small saucepans going at the same time.
5. 5
   In a medium saucepan vigorously whisk together the milk, heavy cream, cornstarch, egg yolks, brown sugar, and salt.
6. 6
   Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thick, 5-6 minutes. (Once you can lift the whisk from the pudding and it leaves a faint shadow, it's done; this pudding will seem much thicker than others, but once you add the sauce it will thin out.)
7. 7
   Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing pudding through sieve with a silicone spatula.
8. 8
   Whisk the dulce de leche directly into the hot pudding base until fully incorporated.
9. 9
   Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes. Press a layer of plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding, and chill completely in refrigerator, 2 hours.