In Puerto Rico, fresh coconut adds magic to sensual holiday treats.
The holidays are fast approaching and there is one thing on everyone’s mind – tasty holiday treats. Puerto Rico has a lot of special traditions over the holidays, including an extended holiday season, which makes it the perfect travel destination during this time of year. However, you can also bring a little bit of the Puerto Rican spirit into your home with these traditional holiday recipes.
Coquito— The Puerto Rican eggnog: A Puerto Rican beverage made with coconut, cinnamon and rum. Traditionally, it’s prepared by locals who sell it themselves, but can sometimes be found in local grocery stores.
Tembleque— A coconut dessert pudding made with coconut milk, milk, salt, cornstarch, cinnamon, and sugar.
Ingredients:
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14 ounce) can cream of coconut
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup white rum
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
In the top of a double boiler, combine egg yolks and evaporated milk. Stirring constantly, cook over lightly simmering water until mixture reaches a temperature of 160 degrees F (71 degrees C). The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Transfer mixture to a blender, and add cream of coconut, sweetened condensed milk, rum, water, cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla. Blend for about 30 seconds. Pour into glass bottles and chill overnight.
Ingredients:
2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk
¾ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup cornstarch
1 pinch ground cinnamon
Directions:
Stir coconut milk, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan. Spoon a few tablespoons of the coconut milk mixture into a small bowl and stir cornstarch into the mixture to dissolve; pour into the mixture in the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly; cook until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes.
Pour the coconut milk mixture into molds, cover each with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold and firm, 3 hours to 2 days.
Run a thin knife around the edges of the mold and invert onto a plate to remove putting. Garnish tops with cinnamon.
