Tembleque is a deliciously creamy Puerto Rican Coconut Pudding that is popular around the holidays. Personally, I eat it year-round because of it’s refreshing citrus and coconut flavors. It’s super thick, creamy and a definite crowd favorite dessert.
Background
A huge reason why I love this tembleque recipe is because you can literally make one large family portion or mini personal sized portions. I also love this recipe because of it’s consistency. It’s actually not a true pudding; it has more of a wiggly Jell-O consistency.
Tembleque derives from the Spanish word Temblar which means “to shake”
Pudding Base
The first step in this Tembleque recipe is to whisk the dry ingredients of: sugar, corn starch, salt and cinnamon in a COLD pot. Yes, you read that right! This recipe is actually made in ONE pot, which is great for cleaning and less mess making 😉. But the real reason this recipe starts in a COLD pot is because by mixing the ingredients in the pot first without heat ensures a silky, no clumps consistency.
Next, to the dry ingredients add the wet ingredients of: coconut milk and vanilla extract. Again this step is done in the same COLD pot. For an extra creamy Tembleque, I recommend purchasing full-fat canned coconut milk. This gives the pudding a nice body.
Now that all of the pudding ingredients are well mixed, then you HEAT the pot to medium-high heat. After this step, add in some aromatics to really enhance the Tembleque. Even though the recipe contains cinnamon, I like to add a whole cinnamon stick and some lime peels, to steep in the pudding for extra flavor.
Execution
Tembleque is a tedious pudding that requires lots of whisking. For an ideal consistency, cook the pudding for 5 to 10 minutes just until the mixture simmers and appears thick. You’ll know for sure when ribbons of pudding fall from the whisk. The final step is to cool the mixture and add it your molds.
Since I love the idea of mini personal portions, I used silicone donut molds for the tembleque. They come in all cute shapes, sizes and colors. They are also super easy for unmolding the pudding. Here’s the link to purchase:
- Silicone Baking Molds: https://amzn.to/3s4rSnY
Nata Tip: If using silicone molds, first rinse them with cold water and DO NOT pat them dry. The remaining water droplets create a moisture barrier that allows for easy unmolding.
Fill the molds to the edge and smooth the pudding with the back of a spoon. Then, tap the sides of the molds to remove excess air. For best results, cover with plastic wrap or a lid and cool overnight.
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Tembleque – Puerto Rican Coconut Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 (14 oz) cans of unsweetend coconut milk
- 2/3 cups of white sugar
- 1/2 cup of corn starch
- 1/3 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 1 lime peeled
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a cold pot, whisk the dry ingredients of sugar, corn starch, salt and cinnamon until smooth.
- Next, whisk in the cans of coconut milk and vanilla extract.
- Once smooth, then heat the pot to medium high heat. Whisk consistently.
- Add in the cinnamon stick, the lime peel and allow to steep during the cooking process.
- Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until thick and ribbons form.
- Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
- Add the cooled mixture into rinsed silicone molds.
- Smooth the tops of the with a spoon and cover. Cool overnight and serve with sprinkled cinnamon as a garnish
