Tembleque
Tembleque de Coco - coconut pudding dusted with cinnamon. This traditional Puerto Rican dessert is easy to make with only 5 ingredients!
The name comes from the Spanish word "to tremble" like the delightful wiggle, jiggle and shake of this dessert.
Technically it's a pudding since it's made with cornstarch to thicken.
But it reminds me of cream custard since it's so beautifully silky and sets so perfectly in whatever mold you use!
This is the standard tembleque recipe and it is perfect.
I consulted my favorite Puerto Rican cookbooks (Puerto Rican Cuisine in America and Cocina Criolla) to see if they had any tips to make it better.
The only difference they offer is using fresh coconut milk from scratch.
I bet that ramps up the flavor, but not everyone has access to fresh coconuts, or the time and tools needed to shred, soak, etc!
But please check the ingredients on your canned coconut because some have all sorts of additives and thickeners.
I prefer Goya brand. "Si es Goya tiene que ser bueno!" [not sponsored 😀]
Tembleque is delicious all year long, but it is a must-make dessert for the holidays!
Some of our other favorite Puerto Rican desserts include Pumpkin Flan, Mantecaditos, and Quesitos.
How to Make Tembleque:
- Coconut milk - You will need 2 cans of coconut milk. You could also use 3 can and it will have a looser, pudding texture.
- Cornstarch - This is the ingredient that will thicken the tembleque. This is a pretty firm tembleque. If you would like it creamier use half the amount.
- Sugar - I recommend ⅔ cup, but you can always use more or less to adjust the sweetness to your liking.
- Salt - Not enough to make it salty, just to enhance all the other flavors.
- Cinnamon - There's no cinnamon actually in the tembleque, but it's dusted over top before serving.
Bonus: tembleque is naturally gluten-free (double check ingredients) and dairy-free (vegan).
Some people like to add a little extra sabor. This can include 1 of the following:
- Orange blossom water (1 tablespoon)
- Rose water (1 tablespoon)
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
- Lime zest (½ teaspoon)
- Pinch of nutmeg
Tembleque Steps
- Dissolve the cornstarch in cold or room temperature coconut milk. If you add it to warm liquid it will be a lumpy mess. No bueno.
- Bring the dissolved cornstarch, coconut milk, sugar and salt to a boil, then lower the heat and cook until the tembleque has thickened.
- Pour into molds and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- After chilling, run a knife around the mold to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Dust liberally with cinnamon and enjoy!
Note about molds:
Tembleque can be prepared in fancy molds or simple pans.
It can be prepared in personal pans or a large dish that's cut into individual servings.
My grandmother has beautiful vintage copper molds like this one: Copper Heart Mold.
You could also use a square pan (cut into squares for serving) or a pie pan (cut into wedges).
Disposable aluminum pans are also handy if taking to an event. Don't unmold or it may have a strange pattern on the top! 😂
You can find the beautiful flower silicone molds I used on Amazon!
Tembleque
Tembleque de Coco – silky smooth coconut pudding dusted with cinnamon. This traditional Puerto Rican dessert is easy to make with only 5 ingredients!
Ingredients
- 2 cans (13.5 oz each) coconut milk
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ⅔ or ¾ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Ground cinnamon, for dusting
- Cinnamon sticks, coconut shreds, for garnish
Instructions
- Set out molds for tembleque (square pan, individual ramekins,
etc. See post for more details about molds). - Whisk the cornstarch with 1 can of coconut milk until completely dissolved and smooth.
- Pour into saucepan along with remaining can of coconut milk, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until thick, about 1-3 minutes.
- Pour mixture into mold(s) and let cool to room temperature before covering with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight, but may take only a few hours depending on the size of molds.
- Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving and garnish with cinnamon sticks and shredded coconut (optional).
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 160Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 195mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 3g
Nutritional information provided is an estimate only. Please consult the labels of ingredients you use for more accurate results.
At first, I will get it out of the way - it is almost impossible to not draw comparisons to Hawaii's haupia with this recipe. That was at least the sentiment I found when I brought this to my church's Pot Luck during one Sabbath, straight after the cold season had ended. With the exception of a variation in preparation, that is an easy comparison to make. The other difference is that haupia is more of a firm jelly, while tembleque has a slightly softer texture akin to clotted cream.
Regardless, it was a ripe and proper winner. Even with a reduced number at the church service during that week, there was still enough to go around. It was a case where leftovers were not a factor, with one guy at church snapping up the last portion because he was a big fan. My only tweak was based off another website's take on the recipe, and I used a can of coconut cream and a can of coconut milk; which one I mixed with the cornstarch, I can't remember.
It had a good, subtle flavour with coconut, and the dusting of cinnamon on top complemented it quite well. My schtick in the kitchen is being Mr. Worldwide by giving all the different cuisines a try; Puerto Rican would be obscure enough all the way in the Great Southern Land to keep people on their toes. Let's just say, it is easy enough to do at short notice, and when people like it that much - there is more incentive to cook it again down the line.
I never thought of the similarities to haupia! I went to college in Hawaii and learned that many Puerto Ricans migrated there for work.
Can I use a bun cake pan to make this in.
Yes, you can use just about any pan.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes!
Hello,
You indicate 2 Cans of Coconut Milk in "Ingredients" but under "INSTRUCTIONS" you are indicating "Whisk the cornstarch with 1 can of coconut milk". Please indicate if 1 or 2 cans should be used -- Tembleque should NOT be too loose or runny.
Whisk the cornstarch with 1 can, then you add that mixture and the additional can with the remaining ingredients (step 3).
Is there a cornstarch replacement for this recipe?
Hi Mari, I've never tried anything else, but I know a lot of people use arrowroot or tapioca flour as a substitute. You'll have to do some research on how much to use in place of 1/2 cup of cornstarch, but I hope that helps!
Can this be made sugar free?
Hi Clarissa, I've never experimented with a substitute in this recipe, but my favorite sugar-free sweetener is monk fruit and it should work just fine. The coconut milk will have some naturally occurring sugar.
@Rebekah, thanks can’t wait to try !
How do get them out the mold, wouldn’t they all pop out if you invert it?
If using a silicone mold like mine, they won't fall out when inverting. If using some sort if dish I'd just pop up the piece you want with a knife.
Can I use silicone cupcake molds?
Yes, I used silicone molds in the pictures.
Can I use something other than cornstarch I’m having trouble finding it?
Hi Rosie, there are some corn starch substitutes like arrowroot, but I've never tried them. Are you outside of the U.S.? Sometimes it's called cornflour.
@Rebekah, I always use Coco Lopez it's a classic for Christmas celebration desserts as for piña colada. The rest of the year I use Goya products except for the Piña colada.
I LOVE the flower molds— beautiful idea! Is it ok to use Thai Kitchen organic coconut milk!?
Yes, Thai Kitchen is great!
Could coconut flakes be added to the mixture? My boyfriend loves anything and everything coconut, and prefers when there’s an exaggerated amount of coconut in desserts.
Yes you can!
@Rebekah, you can also add Coconut Extract to add more coconut flavor.