North Africa · Dessert

Om Ali (Egyptian Bread Pudding with Cream and Nuts)

Name: Om Ali (Egyptian Bread Pudding with Cream and Nuts)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Egypt
Ingredients: 350 g all-butter puff pastry sheets (or baked roqaq); 1000 ml whole milk; 150 g granulated sugar; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon; 50 g raw slivered almonds, toasted; 50 g shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped; 40 g unsweetened shredded coconut; 40 g golden raisins (sultanas); 200 g heavy clotted cream (qashta or double cream); 1 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting

Flaky baked pastry steeped in fragrant vanilla milk, layered with toasted nuts, coconut, and broiled clotted cream.

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The story

Legend attributes this dessert to the 13th century, created to celebrate the political victory of the first wife of Sultan Izz al-Din Aybak. Cooked with sweet milk and distributed to the entire populace of Cairo, it remains Egypt's most famous celebration dessert.

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