Om Ali (Egyptian Warm Milk Pudding with Pastry and Nuts)
Local name: أم علي
In short: Warm, creamy pudding of flaky pastry soaked in sweet vanilla milk, studded with nuts, raisins and coconut and baked until the top blisters. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 555 kcal
Om Ali is a warm, creamy dessert that Egyptians serve at celebrations and during Ramadan. Pieces of baked puff pastry are soaked in sweetened milk and cream, scattered with nuts, raisins and coconut, then baked until the top blisters and turns golden brown. It is eaten hot, spooned straight from the dish into bowls, soft and custardy underneath with a crisp-edged crust.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Bake the puff pastry on a tray, following the packet directions, until deep golden brown and crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let it cool.
- Break the cooled pastry into rough 3 cm (1 in) pieces. Spread half in a buttered 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) dish, scatter over half the nuts, raisins and coconut, then add the rest of the pastry and the remaining raisins and coconut.
- Heat the milk, cream and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and small bubbles form at the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the hot milk evenly over the pastry until it comes just below the top layer. Press gently with a spoon so every piece is soaked, and sprinkle over the remaining nuts.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is blistered and golden brown and the milk bubbles at the edges.
- Rest for 5 minutes, dust with cinnamon and spoon into bowls while still hot.
Tips
- Bake the pastry until it is truly dark golden. It should stay a little crisp on top while the lower layers soften in the milk, and underbaked pastry turns pasty.
- Day-old croissants make a good shortcut. Tear them into pieces and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes in place of baking the puff pastry.
Questions and answers
What is Om Ali?
A warm Egyptian dessert of pastry baked in sweet milk with nuts, raisins and coconut. It is soft and creamy underneath, with a golden, lightly crisp top.
Can I make Om Ali ahead of time?
Assemble the pastry and nuts in the dish up to 1 day ahead, and add the hot milk just before baking. Leftovers keep for 2 days in the fridge and reheat well in the oven.
Can I make it without cream?
Yes. Use about 1.25 liters (5 cups) of whole milk in total, which is lighter but less rich. Evaporated milk in place of some of the milk adds creaminess.
How long does it take to make Om Ali (Egyptian Warm Milk Pudding with Pastry and Nuts)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Om Ali (Egyptian Warm Milk Pudding with Pastry and Nuts)?
About 555 kcal per serving, with 9 g of protein, 44 g of carbohydrates and 38 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 555 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 44 g |
| Fat | 38 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 22 g |
| Sodium | 320 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
