Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

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

2Stir continuously until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture starts to simmer.

3Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Make sure it doesn't boil over.

4Once the mixture has thickened and reduced by almost half, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract (¼ teaspoon).

5Let the sweetened condensed milk cool completely before transferring it to a jar or airtight container for storage.