Om Ali/Umm Ali (Egyptian Bread Pudding) is a classic Egyptian recipe made with bread or pastry soaked in sweetened milk and mixed with nuts and shredded coconut. It's a crispy, crunchy, sweet, creamy, moreish Egyptian dessert!
1.1lbpastryI used phyllo. Alternatively, use puff pastry, brioche, leftover croissants, Egyptian flatbread, or even palmiers/lunettes; use gluten-free pastry/bread if needed
1/4cupbutterunsalted, melted
2cupsmilkwhole is best; use dairy-free if preferred
1/2cupsweetened condensed milkuse store-bought or homemade
1/2cupnutsuse a combination of nuts such as pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, etc.; for a nut-free version, use pine nuts/sunflower seeds
1/4cupraisinsor sultanas
1/4cupshredded coconutunsweetened or sweetened (I use unsweetened)
1Tsprose wateroptional
Check the Recipe Notes below for optional add-ins and variations!
Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC and lightly butter a baking dish/pan. I recommend using a 9x13 in(23x33 cm) rectangular pan OR a 12 in/30 cm round pan.
Place the phyllo sheets on a large baking tray, either whole or broken up into smaller pieces (if you don’t break them now, you’ll do it later). Brush with the melted butter.
Transfer the baking tray to the oven and bake for just a few minutes until the top layer of phyllo dough becomes golden and crispy. Then remove the baking sheet from the oven.Depending on what pastry you're using, some methods will have you remove the top layers as they turn crisp, allowing each layer beneath to crisp up too. That wasn’t necessary for thin phyllo dough but it may be for puff pastry.
Meanwhile, combine the milk and condensed milk in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until just below a boil. Once hot, remove the mixture from the heat.
To assemble the Om Ali, place a layer of the phyllo pastry (about ½ of it) in your prepared baking dish and top with half of the nuts, coconut, and raisins. Then pour over the warmed milk mixture. Top with another layer of pastry and nut mixture, before pouring over the cream.An alternative method has you beat the heavy cream to stiff peaks (or use eshta), then spread or dollop it over the dessert in the last few minutes, turning on the broiler.
Bake in the oven at 350ºF/180ºC for 15-20 minutes, or until well browned. Then remove and allow it to rest for a few minutes before spooning/slicing, and serving!You can optionally broil the bread pudding for an even crispier topping.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Make ahead: the texture of the assembled Om Ali will change the longer it sits, so I don't recommend preparing it ahead if you want optimal texture. However, you could prepare the crispy pastry and combined milk mixture in advance. Then, when you're ready to bake, just reheat the milk, assemble, and bake!Store: the Egyptian bread pudding will have the crispiest texture within the first hour or two after baking. However, feel free to allow it to cool and then store, covered, in the refrigerator for an additional 1-2 days. It will thicken/soften as it sits and can then be enjoyed cold or reheated.Reheat: you can either reheat individual servings in the microwave (1-2 minutes usually) or place the entire dish back in the oven until heated through. Broil the topping once more to bring back a little crisp texture.
Notes
Use a shallow, wide dish, rather than a taller narrow dish. This will give more surface space on the top for lots of crunchy topping and the best overall texture.
Adjust the amount of sugar: I didn't add any extra sugar on top of the condensed milk. However, this Egyptian dessert is traditionally very sweet. So feel free to adjust the amount to taste.
The cream topping: the type of cream you use will vary the dish. Pouring over heavy cream is rich and creamy. However, using dollops of whipped cream or eshta added before broiling will only lightly melt and will brown and cook in a specific way that is delicious and helps to make a caramelized, crisp top of the dessert.
Individual serve: feel free to adapt this to single-serve versions using ramekins. Adjust the cooking time as necessary.
Can I omit the nuts/coconut? You can use them just as a topping or even omit them entirely.
The bread you use: bake the phyllo/puff pastry until crisp, then break into small pieces. For croissants, break them into small pieces before baking. For regular bread, no need to bake first. For palmiers, no need to bake at all. Instead, just broil it until golden and crispy.
Optional Add-ins and Variations:
Cinnamon: a sprinkle of cinnamon is a traditional topping added e before baking.
Cardamom: a small pinch could be added to the hot milk mixture.
Sugar: I find I don’t need any additional sugar in the dessert, as the condensed milk is sweet enough. However, if you have more of a sweet tooth, add extra sugar to the warmed milk mixture and/or sprinkle some over the top of the desert before it's baked.
Orange blossom: a small amount of orange blossom (to taste) added to the warm milk mixture tastes absolutely delicious. It can be used alone or alongside the rose water.
Vegan: use dairy-free butter, creamy plant milk, and vegan condensed milk (like this coconut condensed milk). The flavor will vary slightly but still taste delicious!
Check the blog post for more tips and optional non-traditional toppings!