A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a Hispanic bakery that changed my understanding of what a delicious pudding could be. When I think pudding, I think mostly of rice- or egg-based recipes made with milk.

The name tembleque comes from the Spanish language word “temblar,” which means to “tremble,” a reference to the wiggly, jiggly texture of this molded coconut pudding. This classic Puerto Rican dessert ...