Tembleque is a Puerto Rican pudding made from coconut milk and cornstarch. And when I got my container to the car and dug in, I realized I had been missing something incredible. The pudding was sweet without being cloying, and thick without being chewy.
Tembleque is a Puerto Rican pudding made from coconut milk and cornstarch. And when I got my container to the car and dug in, I realized I had been missing something incredible. The pudding was sweet without being cloying, and thick without being chewy.
I also realized that the clean, yet rich flavors of this simple pudding made it a perfect finish to an Easter dinner. So of course I had to learn how to make it myself. I in no way pretend that this is a traditional recipe. But it is inspired by what I tasted that day. And it is delicious.
Orange-cinnamon coconut pudding (Tembleque)
Start to finish: 2 hours 20 minutes (20 minutes active)
Servings: 6
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/2 cup cornstarch
Two 13 1/2-ounce cans coconut milk
Zest of 1 medium orange
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sugar and the cornstarch. Whisk in the coconut milk, orange zest and salt, then set over medium-high heat. Whisk until simmering and thickened. Pour the pudding into a 9-by-9-inch baking dish or individual ramekins.
In a small bowl or cup, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture over the pudding, then cover and refrigerate until set and completely chilled, about 2 hours.
Nutrition information per serving: 340 calories; 250 calories from fat (74 percent of total calories); 27 g fat (24 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 15 g sugar; 3 g protein; 40 mg sodium.