Puerto Rican Tembleque (Coconut Pudding) Recipe
Puerto Rican Tembleque is a traditional coconut pudding known for its creamy texture and aromatic spices. This silky dessert combines rich coconut milk with warming notes of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, thickened with cornstarch and sweetened just perfectly. It’s chilled until set, then garnished with cinnamon, making it a refreshing and comforting treat perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Spice Tea
- ½ cup water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 cloves
- 2 star anise
Tembleque Mixture
- 2 cans coconut milk (about 27 oz total)
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Garnish
- Cinnamon powder
Instructions
- Make the spice tea: Start by combining the water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise in a pot over medium heat. Simmer the mixture until the water takes on a brown color and the spices release their fragrant aroma. Remove from heat and let it cool before straining out all the spices, leaving a clear spiced tea.
- Mix the coconut and cornstarch: In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk and cornstarch until the mixture is smooth and free from lumps. Then whisk in the sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and the cooled spice tea thoroughly to combine all the flavors.
- Cook the tembleque: Pour the coconut mixture into a pot and place over low heat on the stovetop. Continuously whisk the mixture as it heats to prevent lumps and sticking, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, indicating the pudding is ready.
- Set the tembleque: Transfer the thickened mixture into molds or serving dishes. Gently smooth the top with a spoon and allow it to cool at room temperature. Once cooled, cover the molds and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until the pudding is firm yet jiggly.
- Flip the tembleque: Before serving, run a knife around the edges of the molds to loosen the pudding. Carefully invert the molds onto plates. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder for garnish and serve chilled.
Notes
- When mixing the coconut milk and cornstarch, ensure there are no lumps by whisking thoroughly to achieve a smooth pudding.
- Simmering the spices gently releases their flavors without making the spice tea too bitter.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for the richest texture and flavor.
- The pudding should firm up to a jiggly consistency; if it’s too soft, chill for longer or adjust cornstarch slightly next time.
- Serve chilled for the best texture and taste.
Keywords: Puerto Rican Tembleque, coconut pudding, coconut dessert, creamy coconut pudding, traditional Puerto Rican dessert, coconut milk dessert
