Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

1In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the whole milk (4 cups) and granulated sugar (1 cup) over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.

2Reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours or until the volume is reduced by half and the mixture thickens to a syrupy consistency.

3Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract (¼ teaspoon), mixing well to combine.

4Allow the homemade sweetened condensed milk to cool completely before transferring it to a clean, airtight container for storage in the refrigerator.