I think there has never been a more perfectly named dessert than tembleque, which gets its name from the Spanish word for “tremble,” referring to the wiggly-jiggly texture of this molded coconut pudding. This Puerto Rican classic is enjoyed year-round and can often be found at bakery and dessert shops around the island. It’s a childhood favorite of mine that still gives me great joy. I have fond memories of begging my dad to buy me some anytime I saw it at the dessert counter. Fortunately, I never had to beg too hard as he’s also very much a fan of the creamy coconut treat. Made with just a few ingredients, the dessert is naturally vegan and gluten-free and can be made in advance, which makes it an ideal fuss-free dessert for entertaining—something that grown-up me extremely appreciates!
4 cups canned coconut milk (full-fat, please!)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅔ cup sugar
½ cup cornstarch
Ground cinnamon, for garnish
1.Grease eight 4-ounce molds or one 8- or 9-inch baking pan (you can use ramekins, baking pans, or custard cups; nonstick baking molds tend to work best) with a small spritz of nonstick cooking spray or coconut oil.
2.In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the coconut milk, salt, and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
3.Remove 1 cup of the warm coconut milk to a bowl, add the cornstarch, and whisk to create a smooth slurry. Slowly whisk the mixture back into the pan. Let the mixture cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and pudding-like, 3–5 minutes.
4.Remove from the heat. Divide the pudding into the prepared molds and let cool on the counter for 20 minutes, then loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until set.
5.You can serve the tembleque in the ramekins, or run a thin wet knife around the edge of each ramekin and carefully invert onto a plate. (If using a baking pan, cut the tembleque into squares.)
6.Garnish the top with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon just before serving.