Om Ali is a rich and comforting Egyptian bread pudding flaky where puff pastry soaked in warm milk, spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, and studded with raisins, apricots, and crunchy nuts. Served warm and topped with whipped cream, it is lightly sweet and a unique dessert to serve to friends and family.
This post was originally published May 19, 2017. It has been updated with new photographs and content.
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.
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Recipe highlights
- Unique: Most bread puddings start with stale bread and fresh fruit. But this version uses pieces of puff pastry, dried fruit and nuts.
- Easy: Unlike most baked desserts, Om Ali is very easy to make. No special skills or fancy equipment is needed.
- Texture: Puff pastry when cooked is light and flakey. But in this bread pudding, it soaks up the hot milk and softens. The nuts offer a bit of crunch and the dried fruit some sweet chew.
- Flavor: The milk is spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, giving this bread pudding a subtle but wonderful flavor. You can use any dried fruits and nuts you have. I top my bread pudding with homemade whipped cream and crushed dried rose petals.
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.
Ingredients you need
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- Puff pastry dough: You will use a whole package of puff pastry sheets. You can also halve the recipe and use just one sheet. I accidentally bough shells and was still able to make this dish using half the ingredients. Either way, be sure to thaw the puff pastry completely before assembling.
- Nuts: I used a combination of pistachios, almonds and walnuts.
- Dried fruits: I used raisins and chopped dried apricots.
- Milk: Whole milk is preferred, but you can also use 2% milk.
- Spices: This dessert is aromatic because I use cardamom and cinnamon.
- Heavy whipping cream: I top this dish with some homemade whipped cream. You can also use pre-made whipped cream.
- Crushed dried rose petals: This is optional, but I love the addition of dried rose petals for both color and aroma.
- Pantry staples: Granulated sugar and vanilla extract.
Step-by-step directions
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- Place thawed puff pastry sheets onto one large baking sheet lined. 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 until golden per package directions. Let puff pastry sit until cool to touch.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch ceramic pie dish or casserole dish. Rip and crumble puff pastry into 1-inch pieces and place one-third of the pieces onto the bottom of the pie dish.
- Sprinkle one-third of the nuts and dried fruit over it. Continue layering the puff pastry pieces and dried fruit mixture until everything is in the pie dish.
- Heat the 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.
- Whip the heavy cream and 2 teaspoon 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.
- Bake until browned and bubbly, approximately 10 minutes. Garnish with dried rose petals. Serve hot with the remaining whipped cream.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
The story behind Om Ali is a bit illustrious. As the legendary story goes, Om Ali was the first wife of a sultan. 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!”
Not quite Persian baghlava, which uses sheets of phyllo and not puff pastry. Om Ali is a unique dessert that is sure to wow anyone you serve it to!
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days, assuming that your milk and cream are fresh.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
Egyptian Bread Pudding (Om Ali) with Raisins and Nuts
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 teaspoon (separated)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon dried crushed rose petals optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Place thawed puff pastry sheets onto a baking sheet. 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 until puff pastry is golden, per package directions. Let puff pastry sit until cool to touch.
- In a small bowl combine nuts and dried fruits.
- 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. Place approximately one-third of the puff pastry pieces onto the bottom of the pie dish. Sprinkle one-third of the nut-fruit mixture over it.
- Continue layering the puff pastry pieces and dried fruit mixture until everything is in the pie dish.
- Whip together heavy cream and 2 teaspoon sugar in a cold bowl until stiff peaks are formed. Reserve whipped cream.
- In a heavy pot over medium-high heat add milk, ½ cup 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.
- Carefully spread half of the whipped cream over the top. Keep remaining whipped cream in the refrigerator.
- Bake in oven at 400ºF until browned and bubbly, approximately 10 minutes.
- Garnish with dried rose petals. Serve hot with the remaining whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
I have never heard of Egyptian bread pudding. Can’t wait to give this a try because we are huge bread pudding fans.
This looks dreamy and exotic and totally delicious!