Recipe(tried): Dearest Donna: In Puerto Rico we mostly give as food gifts

the following items:

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Coquito
We give the Coquito in regular Rum bottles, well cleaned & with fancy ribbons or in crystal decanters as a fancy Xmas gift.

2 - 3 cinnamon sticks
2 c. water
12 oz. evaporated milk
14 oz. condensed milk
4 egg yolks
15 oz. cream of coconut
4 c. white rum (Bacardi, Don Q. etc) (Adjust to taste)

Start by boiling the cinnamon sticks in the 2 cups of water.

When the water turns yellow and has the smell and you can taste the cinnamon, take the sticks out.

Now add the evaporated milk, condensed milk and egg yolks and cook at a very low temperature. Make sure to stir while it is cooking to avoid it sticking to your pan. (If it does, see hint below.)

After it has boiled for a few minutes, stir in the cream of coconut and then the rum. Stir it very well and take off the stove.

Let it cool, chill and enjoy it .
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Bizcocho de Ron (Rum Cake)

The Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 box vanilla instant pudding
1 c. chopped pecans
4 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. dark rum
Pam-like spray
flour

The Glaze:
1/4 lb. butter
1/4 c. water
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. dark rum
Maraschino cherries

The Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

You will need a bunt cake pan for this recipe.

Grease and flour the bunt cake pan well.

Sprinkle the pecans on the bottom of the cake pan.

In a bowl, mix the yellow cake mix, vanilla instant pudding, eggs, vegetable oil, water and dark rum, (and a little for the chef).

Mix well for about 2-3 minutes.

Pour the mix into the bunt cake pan and place in the oven.

Cook about an hour or until the knife comes out clean.

Turn cake over into a serving plate and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes.

The Glaze:

While the cake cools, we can make the glaze.

Melt the butter in a pan and add the water and the sugar.

Stir constantly for about 5-8 minutes then add the rum, (and a little for the chef). he he he..... Let it cool.

Poke the cake all over with a toothpick, so the glaze can sink in deep for a better taste.

Brush the top of the cake evenly with the glaze and drizzle some all over the cake.

Wait 5-10 minutes and re-brush the cake top and drizzle more glaze over the cake.

Repeat untill all the glaze is used up.

Let the cake soak well before serving with some cherries on the top. You can top it also with whipped cream at the moment of serving!
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Tembleque

4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
Cinnamon

In a bowl, mix salt, cornstarch and 1/2 cup of coconut milk with a whisk until very smooth. Make sure there are no lumps and set aside.

In a big saucepan, place the rest of the coconut milk, which should be 3 1/2 cups and the sugar. Mix well.

On a medium high heat, bring this to a boil. When it starts to boil, add the cornstarch mixture slowly and whisk 'a to' lo que da' baby, steadily so it won't lump.

Reduce heat to low and stir steadily for 5 more minutes.

Pour into wet (not soaked) molds, or use a large wet deep plate, and sprinkle some cinnamon on the top.

Let it cool before you put it in the refrigerator. Don't be in a hurry to eat it or you will burn your bembas. (Lips)

Leave in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before you cut into it.

Before you cut it, make sure you run a regular table knife along the edge of the plate to separate from the plate.

Tips:
If you don't want a skin like texture to form on the top, put plastic wrap over the dish or mold.

You can also use fresh coconut milk instead of (Coco Lopez) canned coconut milk.