Tembleque
Tembleque is a Puerto Rican dessert, a must especially over the Christmas season. The name comes from the Spanish “temblar”, to tremble — which is exactly what a well-made one does on the plate. It is coconut milk thickened with cornflour, sugar and a pinch of salt, poured into a mould, set in the fridge and dusted with cinnamon. Four basic ingredients, no eggs or dairy, so it is entirely plant-based. The key is full-fat coconut milk — a light version gives a watery, jelly-like pudding with no creaminess.
Your own work in that: 5 min.
- Cooking 15 min
- Filling the mould 5 min
- Cooling 30 min
- Setting 240 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneMix cold
In a pan whisk the cold coconut milk with the cornflour, sugar and salt until the starch has completely dissolved. Starch added to hot milk goes lumpy.
Ingredients: 800 ml full-fat coconut milk · 60 g cornflour · 100 g sugar · 1 pinch salt · 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Everything cold — no lumps.Prepare the mould
Rinse a 1 litre ring mould or 6 small bowls with cold water and do not dry them — the moisture helps the pudding release.
Ingredients: 800 ml full-fat coconut milk · 60 g cornflour · 100 g sugar · 1 pinch salt · 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Cook, stirring
Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture starts to thicken — about 8–10 minutes.
Ingredients: 800 ml full-fat coconut milk · 60 g cornflour · 100 g sugar · 1 pinch salt · 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Cook a little longer
Once thick and bubbling, lower the heat and cook 2 minutes more, stirring. This fully cooks the starch so the dessert does not taste floury.
Ingredients: 800 ml full-fat coconut milk · 60 g cornflour · 100 g sugar · 1 pinch salt · 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Two minutes bubbling — no floury taste.Add vanilla
Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla, if using.
Ingredients: 800 ml full-fat coconut milk · 60 g cornflour · 100 g sugar · 1 pinch salt · 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Fill the mould
Immediately pour the hot pudding into the damp mould and smooth with a spoon.
Ingredients: 800 ml full-fat coconut milk · 60 g cornflour · 100 g sugar · 1 pinch salt · 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
At once, while it still pours.Chill
Cool for about 30 minutes to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours, until fully set.
Ingredients: 800 ml full-fat coconut milk · 60 g cornflour · 100 g sugar · 1 pinch salt · 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Unmould and serve
Run a knife round the edge, set a plate over the mould and invert in one move. Dust with cinnamon and serve cold.
Ingredients: 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Before you start
Coconut milk
Choose coconut milk with at least 17% fat and little added guar gum. Carton coconut drink will not work — it is far too thin.
Variations
In Puerto Rico the coconut milk is sometimes flavoured with lemon peel, a cinnamon stick or a little orange blossom water. Warm it with the aromatics, leave 15 minutes, remove them and cool the milk completely before whisking in the starch.
Storage
Covered in the fridge it keeps 3 days. Do not freeze — the starch weeps on thawing.
