Morir Soñando

Before you start

Morir soñando, which translates roughly as 'to die dreaming,' is a creamy orange drink from the Dominican Republic. It tastes like a liquid orange creamsicle: milk or evaporated milk, orange juice, sugar and plenty of ice. It is usually stirred rather than blended, so it is smooth and cold, not frozen.

The tricky part is that acid from orange juice can curdle milk proteins, especially when the milk is warm or the juice is poured in all at once. Two habits prevent this. First, make sure both the milk and juice are very cold, as low temperature slows the reaction. Second, add the juice to the milk slowly while stirring, not the other way around, so the milk is always the larger, buffering part. Dissolve the sugar in the milk first, because sugar also helps protect the proteins.

Ingredients

• 240 ml (1 cup) evaporated milk — very cold
• 120 ml (½ cup) cold water — or use 360 ml cold whole milk in place of the evaporated milk and water
• 3 tbsp (about 38 g) sugar — to taste
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract — optional
• 240 ml (1 cup) orange juice — very cold, pasteurized or fresh squeezed
• 2 cups (about 300 g) ice cubes

Method

1. Chill the milk and orange juice thoroughly. If using fresh oranges, juice them and refrigerate the juice until cold.
2. Pour the evaporated milk and water into the pitcher. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir until the sugar fully dissolves, about 30 seconds.
3. Add half the ice to the pitcher to make the milk even colder.
4. Pour in the orange juice in a slow, thin stream while stirring constantly. Stop if you see any curdling and stir in a few more ice cubes before continuing.
5. Taste and add a little more sugar if the oranges were tart.
6. Fill glasses with the remaining ice, pour in the drink and serve right away.

Tips for success

• Evaporated milk has more proteins and less water than regular milk, which makes the drink richer and more resistant to curdling.
• Sweeter, less acidic oranges, such as navel oranges, give the smoothest result.
• Make it just before serving. Even when it does not curdle at first, it can separate after sitting.

Substitutions

Evaporated milk and water

Whole milk is lighter and more likely to curdle, so keep it very cold. Oat milk is a stable dairy-free option.

Sugar

Sweetened condensed milk can replace sugar and part of the milk; use about 3 tbsp and reduce the evaporated milk.

Fresh orange juice

Pasteurized store-bought juice is more consistent and a safer choice for children and pregnant guests; choose a pulp-free kind for a smoother drink.

Variations

Blended morir soñando

Blend everything with ice for 15 seconds for a frosty, slushier texture.

Cinnamon version

Add a pinch of ground cinnamon with the sugar.

Troubleshooting

Milk curdled into flecks

The juice was added too fast or was not cold. Next time add it slowly to very cold milk; for now, blend the drink briefly to smooth it.

Too tart

The oranges were acidic. Add more sugar or a splash more milk.

Watery taste

The ice melted too fast. Chill all the liquids first and serve immediately.

Storage

Serve immediately; the drink can separate as it sits. Refrigerate any fresh orange juice and use it within a day or two. Do not leave milk drinks at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Safety notes

Fresh-squeezed, unpasteurized orange juice can contain harmful bacteria. Use pasteurized juice when serving young children, older adults, pregnant people or anyone with a weakened immune system.