Authentic Puerto Rican Tembleque de Coco
Puerto Rican Tembleque is a traditional dessert celebrated for its silky texture and rich coconut flavor. 'Tembleque' means 'wobbly' or 'trembling,' perfectly reflecting its smooth consistency, similar to a coconut pudding or flan. This light, refreshing dessert is a favorite during Navidades (Christmas celebrations) and other special occasions in Puerto Rican culture.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 284kcal
Equipment
- saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 cans coconut milk
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- The recipe starts in a cool saucepan away from the heat. Once you have incorporated the ingredients, take them to the stove to cook. Have your molds ready before you begin the process.
- Dissolve the cornstarch and half of the coconut milk in a saucepan. Make sure that the cornstarch is fully dissolved and no lumps are visible.1 cans coconut milk, ½ cup cornstarch
- Add the sugar⅔ cup sugar
- And the pinch of salt.1 pinch salt
- Followed by the Orange Blossom water.1 tbsp orange blossom water
- Add vanilla. I used clear vanilla flavoring to keep the dessert's pure white appearance, which is what it is known for.1 tsp vanilla
- Finally, the second half of the coconut milk. Mix until well incorporated. Bring the pot to the stove and stir the mixture at medium-high heat.1 cans coconut milk
- Once the mixture thickens, reduce heat to medium while continuously stirring, and it begins to boil. Let it boil for about a second or two. Remove from heat and pour into mold.
- You can pour all the contents into a cake/pie dish or beautiful mold. You may also choose individual servings, such as silicone bundt molds or disposable aluminum cups with lids. The aluminum cups are great for gift-giving and sharing.
Notes
- Wooden Spoon vs. Whip: Traditionally, the recipe calls for using a wooden spoon. The reason is that the whip adds air to the dessert. However, it can be done with a whip.
- Real vanilla extract: Real vanilla extract should not affect the appearance of the tembleque. When I tested the recipe, I had dark artificial vanilla available. Still, it turned the tembleque dark, so I opted for the clear artificial vanilla since I could not find a natural extract. If the color of the tembleque is not an issue, use the vanilla you have at hand.
- Boil: Waiting for the mixture to boil is one of the hardest parts of the recipe. When you stir at medium-high heat, the mixture goes from fluid to dense. Turn the heat down to medium, but continue to stir, stopping only to see it boil. Boiling activates the cornstarch to set the mixture.
- Molds: Prepare your mold(s) before you cook the mixture. This way, you can pour the mixture into the molds without letting it set in the pot.
Nutrition
Serving: 8oz | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Net Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 211mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 3mg | Phosphorus: 93mg | Alcohol: 0.2g
