Ingredients
The milk
- 1 litrewhole milk
- 150 gsugar
- or 150 g panela, grated
- 2cinnamon sticks
- 6whole cloves
- a strip of lemon zest
- a pinch of salt
To thicken
- 3egg yolks
- optional
- or 200 ml condensed milk
The spirit
- 200 mlaguardiente de caña
- or miche andino
- or any clear cane spirit
To finish
- grated nutmeg
- ground cinnamon
Directions
- Grate or chop the panela into small pieces. Pour the milk into a large heavy pot. Add the cinnamon sticks to it. Add the cloves and the lemon zest. Add a pinch of salt to the pot.
- Use a pot larger than you think you need. Never walk away from a milk pot on the heat. Warm it gently over a low heat. Bring it to a bare simmer only.
- Let it infuse for about fifteen minutes. Stir it regularly as it warms. Never let it boil hard at all. Stir the sugar or the panela in. Let it dissolve completely into it. Taste it and adjust the sweetness.
- Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl. Take a ladle of the hot milk out. Whisk it slowly into the yolks. Add a second ladle the same way. Pour the tempered yolks back into the pot. Stir it constantly as it warms.
- Let it thicken slightly over a low heat. Do not let it boil at any point. Pour it through a fine mesh sieve. Take the pot right off the heat.
- Stir all of the aguardiente in. Add it in at the very end only. Reduce it considerably if you want it lighter. Taste it first before deciding. Serving it is done hot in mugs. Pour it into warmed mugs or glasses. Grate fresh nutmeg over each one.
- Dust ground cinnamon over it too. It is drunk hot out in the cold. Warm alcohol is absorbed faster than cold. Never drive after drinking it.
Technique
- The name means donkey’s milk but there is no donkey milk in it at all; it is made with ordinary cow’s milk and the name is a nickname rather than a description.
- This carries a real amount of spirit, typically around thirty percent alcohol, and the warm sweet milk hides it completely, which makes it very easy to underestimate; alcohol is often felt more strongly at altitude and these are mountain roads, so never drive after drinking it.
- Miche andino and other informally distilled spirits carry real risk, since bad distillation can concentrate methanol, which causes blindness and death; buy from a licensed and trusted source and never drink spirits of unknown origin.
Substitutions
- Condensed milk in place of egg yolks thickens it without tempering.
- Panela, the unrefined cane sugar, gives a deeper molasses flavour than white sugar.
Variations
- It is made with egg yolks, with condensed milk, or simply as spiced milk and spirit.
- Any clear cane spirit stands in for miche andino.
- It is sold hot at roadside stands on the páramo roads.
History
An Andean drink of Mérida and Táchira, sold at roadside stands on the páramo roads.
Frequently asked questions
What is Leche de burra?
Leche de burra is a cocktail from Venezuela: warm milk beaten with sugar, spices and cane spirit, drunk in the Andes. An Andean drink of Mérida and Táchira, sold at roadside stands on the páramo roads.
How long does Leche de burra take to make?
Leche de burra takes 10 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Leche de burra?
Yes, within limits. Condensed milk in place of egg yolks thickens it without tempering. Panela, the unrefined cane sugar, gives a deeper molasses flavour than white sugar.
What is the most important thing to get right in Leche de burra?
Use a pot larger than you think you need. Never walk away from a milk pot on the heat. Warm it gently over a low heat. Bring it to a bare simmer only.
