For the village in Spain, see Tembleque, Spain.
For the large one-piece skirt, see Pollera.
Tembleque
TypePudding
CourseDessert
Place of origin Puerto Rico
Region or statePuerto Rico
Main ingredientsCoconut milk, cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon

Tembleque is a coconut dessert pudding from Puerto Rico[1] similar to blancmange and related to Catalan menjar blanc and Filipino maja blanca. It is one of the best-known desserts in Puerto Rican cuisine.[2]

Ingredients

Tembleque is a dessert crafted by gently simmering coconut milk with a pinch of salt, cornstarch, and sugar. Once mixed, it's poured into a mold and left to chill until it reaches a smooth and firm consistency, reminiscent of pudding, and is often topped with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

In recent years, family recipes for tembleque have evolved, making each version distinctive. Some variations include additions like orange blossom water, spiced tea, vanilla, or heavy cream, while others opt for gelatin or arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch for a cleaner taste and a glossy finish. Restaurants across the island often elevate this dessert by serving it with compote, toasted coconut shavings, or even chocolate shavings. [3][4][5]

Varieties

Tembleque has found its way into various treats, such as cakes, cookies, and quesito. One creation is the tembleque crème brûlée pie, which features a harmonious blend of tembleque and cream cheese nestled in a pie crust, topped with a layer of burnt sugar.

Turrón is a nouget made with egg whites, sugar, honey and nuts. This sweet treat is a cherished part of Spanish holiday traditions, and it holds a special place in Puerto Rican Christmas celebrations. Turrón tembleque takes it a step further by combining both recipes and incorporating heavy cream, resulting in a soft and creamy nougat.

Cultural importance

It is a holiday dish, served on New Year's Day throughout the island of Puerto Rico.[6] While the recipe may have originated in Puerto Rico,[7] there are variants on the dish such as manjar blanco in Latin America, manjar branco in Brazil, and maja blanca in the Philippines. According to the Encyclopedia of Puerto Rico, published by the Foundation for the Humanities, each time a Puerto Rican migrant to the United States comes closer and closer to forgetting their roots, foods like tembleque bring them back and remind them of who they are, of their island, and of their grandmother.[8]

Etymology

In Spanish, the word tembleque is an adjective used to describe something that shakes, or a noun to describe the shakes themselves. The dessert, due to its Jell-O-like gel texture, trembles, shivers, and shakes[9] if it has been prepared correctly.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Puerto Rican Coconut Pudding". Taste of Home. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  2. ^ EPRL, Publicado por Grupo Editorial (May 8, 2016). "Cultura popular - Cultura Popular". EnciclopediaPR (in Spanish). Retrieved July 20, 2019.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Tembleque (Coconut Pudding)". The Noshery. 2018-12-14. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  4. ^ "Tembleque - Coconut Pudding". www.goya.com. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  5. ^ "Tembleque (Puerto Rican Coconut Pudding)". Delish D'Lites. 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  6. ^ "Salsa stories : Delacre, Lulu". Internet Archive. October 23, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  7. ^ "CCNY Recipe Book 2017". Internet Archive. October 23, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  8. ^ Ramis, Publicado por García (July 9, 2016). "Estampas del comer boricua - Proyectos FPH". EnciclopediaPR (in Spanish). Retrieved July 20, 2019.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "tembleque". Diccionario Inglés-Español WordReference.com. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  10. ^ Daisy Cooks! : Latin Flavors That Will Rock Your World. (eBook, 2013) [WorldCat.org]. February 22, 1999. OCLC 880406782.


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