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coconut milk dessert Puerto Rican tembleque on a plate and blue tablecloth

Coconut Milk Dessert: Low Carb Tembleque

Homestead Lady Tessa Zundel
Although the traditonal recipe for tembleque isn't low-carb because of the inclusion of corn starch, it's super simple to make it keto friendly with a few swaps. The texture is a cross between coconut gelatin and pudding.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill Time 4 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine Puerto Rican
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 Cup Keto Sugar Allulose, Erythritol, Whatever
  • 3 tsp. Organic Gelatin
  • 2 Cans Coconut Milk, Full Fat
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick
  • 1/2 Cup Coconut Butter
  • 1/2 Cup Toasted Unsweetened Coconut Flakes. Optional or Shavings
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • Powdered Cinnamon & 1/4 Cup Toasted Coconut Flakes, to Garnish

Instructions
 

  • Mix 1/2 cup keto sugar and 3 tsp. of organic gelatin in a small bowl.
  • In a sauce pot over low-medium heat, mix 2 cans of full fat coconut milk, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/2 cup of coconut butter. Mix in 1/2 cup of toasted coconut flakes, if using.* Simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Whisk in keto sugar and gelatin mix and keep whisking for a few minutes to dissolve the gelatin. Do NOT boil, but keep simmering.
  • Simmer for and whisk frequently until it begins to thicken a bit, 5-10 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and mix in 1 tsp. of vanilla. Fill glass dishes*. Allow to cool to room temperature and then chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
  • Run a butter knife around the inside of the glass dish to loosen the pudding. Put a plate over the bowl and invert both to plate the pudding. You may need to jiggle the bowl a bit to get the pudding out.
  • Sprinkle with powdered cinnamon and 1/4 cup of toasted coconut flakes to taste. Slice and serve.

Notes

*Adding coconut flakes or shavings to your tembleque is a delicous option but it will break up the set of the pudding just a little. The pudding will still set, but it will be a little choppy.
  • I recommend adding coconut to the pudding only if you're setting it in half pint jars or other containers simply because you may not like the look of it plated. If you don't care about that and simply love coconut, add it in!
To Toast Coconut:
  1. Spread the coconut flakes or shavings evenly onto a baking sheet.
  2. Broil on low for 3 minutes and stir the flakes. Even them out again.
  3. Continue to toast in 3 minute increments, stirring each time until toasted.
Do NOT walk away from the coconut or it will burn. Ask me how I know.
There are multiple glass containers you can use for this coconut pudding. 
  • To eat it as a dessert, let it set up in a round bowl, pudding mold, or something you can invert and tap the pudding out onto a plate. If you use a mold, it will have a lovely design.
  • To eat it for breakfast, pour the pudding into half pint jars or ramekins. Top with berries.
Whenever you eat it, you can always top it with coconut whipped cream.
Keyword coconut milk, holiday, low carb
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!