Egyptian Bread Pudding (Om Ali) with Raisins and Nuts

Om Ali is the ultimate bread pudding. With origins from the middle east, this Egyptian bread pudding is bursting with raisins, dried apricots, pistachios, cardamon and so much more! Sponsored by Sun-Maid Raisins.

I admit it. I have a bit of a sweet tooth. Actually, I love good food. Something amazing happens when I bite into a scrumptious dish filled with flavors and aromas from all over the world. And a dish that can transport you to a faraway place? Now that’s a dreamy treat.

As far as desserts are concerned, I have never been much of a fan for bread pudding. They are typically bland, sugary and mushy. But today’s recipe takes the bread pudding to a whole new dimension. This bread pudding hails from Egypt and is called Om Ali.

What makes this recipe so awesome

Bread pudding comes from humble origins. It was a way to use up old stale bread instead of throwing it out and letting it go to waste. It was always thought of a “poor man’s” dessert.

But today, you can find it on the dessert menus of 5-star restaurants. Not too shabby, am I right? When you think of bread pudding, perhaps you imagine the British version: stale pieces of cubed bread soaked and baked in a custard served alone or with fresh fruit.

Om Ali is very similar, except it uses puff pastry instead of stale bread. Oh yeah, this is not your typical bread pudding.

I admit that I was never a big fan of bread pudding. But this version is pretty decadent and delicious. Dried fruits like raisins, cranberries and apricots are added with pistachios and almonds for the filling.

It is a unique dessert that is sure to wow anyone you serve it to!

About Om Ali

The story behind Om Ali is a bit illustrious. As the legendary story goes, Om Ali was the first wife of the Sultan Ezz El Din Aybek. When the sultan died, his second wife quarreled with Om Ali over whose son would become the Sultan’s successor.

The sultan’s sons were still young, making the ruling son’s mother guardian and all powerful until the young boy would come of age and become sultan himself.

The story goes that Om Ali plotted and had the second wife killed. Om Ali made this dish to celebrate her victory and she shared it with among the people of the land. Kinda reminds me of Marie Antoinette shouting, “Let them eat cake!”

Ingredients you need

• Puff pastry dough
• Nuts: pistachios, almonds and walnuts
• Dried fruits: raisins and apricots.
• Milk: whole
• Pantry staples: Granulated sugar and vanilla extract
• Spices: cardamom and cinnamon
• Heavy whipping cream
• Crushed dried rose petals (optional)

Step-by-step directions

1. Place thawed puff pastry sheets onto one large baking sheet lined with silicone baking mat. If they do not fit on one baking sheet, you will need to bake on two baking sheets or bake one at a time. Bake at 400ºF until puff pastry is golden, about 10 minutes. Let puff pastry sit until cool to touch.

2. Apply non-stick spray or butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch ceramic pie dish or casserole dish. Rip and crumble puff pastry into 1-inch pieces.

3. Place approximately one-third of the puff pastry pieces onto the bottom of the pie dish. Sprinkle one-third of the nuts and dried fruit over it.

4. Continue layering the puff pastry pieces and dried fruit mixture until everything is in the pie dish.

5. In a heavy pot over medium-high heat add milk, sugar, vanilla, cardamom and cinnamon. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and milk is hot and frothy. Slowly pour the hot milk over the puff pastry pieces until all is absorbed.

6. Whip together heavy cream and 2 tsp sugar in a cold bowl until stiff peaks are formed. Carefully spread half of the whipped cream over the top. Keep remaining whipped cream in the refrigerator.

7. Bake in oven at 400ºF until browned and bubbly, approximately 10 minutes. Garnish with dried rose petals. Serve hot with the remaining whipped cream

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Yield: serves 8-10

Egyptian Bread Pudding (Om Ali) with Raisins and Nuts

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Om Ali is the ultimate bread pudding. With origins from the middle east, this Egyptian bread pudding is bursting with raisins, dried apricots, pistachios, cardamon and so much more!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry dough, thawed (1.1 lbs)
• ⅓ cup chopped pistachios
• ⅓ cup almond slices
• ⅓ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• ½ cup Sun-Maid raisins
• ½ cup Sun-Maid dried apricots
• 4 cups whole milk
• ½ cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tsp (separated)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ tsp dried crushed rose petals (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Place thawed puff pastry sheets onto one large baking sheet lined with silicone baking mat.
3. If they do not fit on one baking sheet, you will need to bake on two baking sheets or bake one at a time.
4. Bake until puff pastry is golden, about 10 minutes. Let puff pastry sit until cool to touch.
5. In a small bowl combine nuts and dried fruits.
6. Apply non-stick spray or butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch ceramic pie dish or casserole dish.
7. Rip and crumble puff pastry into 1-inch pieces.
8. Place approximately one-third of the puff pastry pieces onto the bottom of the pie dish.
9. Sprinkle one-third of the nut-fruit mixture over it.
10. Continue layering the puff pastry pieces and dried fruit mixture until everything is in the pie dish.
11. Whip together heavy cream and 2 tsp sugar in a cold bowl until stiff peaks are formed. Reserve whipped cream.
12. In a heavy pot over medium-high heat add milk, ½ cup sugar, vanilla, cardamom and cinnamon.
13. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and milk is hot and frothy.
14. Slowly pour the hot milk over the puff pastry pieces until all is absorbed.
15. Carefully spread half of the whipped cream over the top. Keep remaining whipped cream in the refrigerator.
16. Bake in oven at 400ºF until browned and bubbly, approximately 10 minutes.
17. Garnish with dried rose petals.
18. Serve hot with the remaining whipped cream.

Notes

Any assortment of nuts and dried fruit can be used to make this dish.

You can also bake these in small ramekins to make individual portion-sized desserts.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 399Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 201mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 3gSugar: 16gProtein: 8g

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Disclosure: I did receive a stipend from Sun-Maid Raisins to develop a heart healthy recipe using their raisins. The story I have written is all true, and the opinions are truly mine. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t blog about it.