Umm Ali (Egyptian Bread Pudding)

Umm Ali, which translates to ‘mother of Ali,’ is Egypt’s idea of a bread pudding, and it is somewhat of a national treasure that, they say, dates back to the twelfth century.

Ask an Egyptian about the woman for whom the dish is named, and you may get any number of stories: She was the wife of an Ayyubid ruler who saved the day with her sweet dessert, or she was a humble peasant who made the best dessert from scraps of dough and some milk to please the Sultan…and so on.

Regardless of its origins, this dessert is a popular one, found in many of Egypt’s restaurants and cafés. This is my family’s recipe. I shared it in my first cookbook, and I’m delighted to share it here with you now!  

I use store-bought puff pastry, shredded coconut, and any nuts I have on hand. The topping of whipped cream is optional, but if you’re going to make Umm Ali, why hold back? You can serve it warm or cold in bowls to hold the milk.

Ingredients for Umm Ali

This easy Egyptian dessert comes together with just a handful of pantry staples! Think crisp, buttery pastry, warm milk, and a little sweetness from sugar and coconut. A mix of nuts gives it the perfect texture and flavor—and don’t forget the finishing touch of cream for a bit of indulgence.

• Puff pastry: Store-bought puff pastry bakes up light, golden, and flaky—the perfect base for soaking up the sweet milk mixture. Swap in vegan or gluten-free puff pastry, if you like. 
• Nuts: I use a mixture of hazelnuts, almonds, and pistachios to add lots of flavor and a satisfying crunch. You can use just one kind or a mix—whatever you have on hand!
• Shredded coconut: Adds a touch of tropical flavor and chewy texture that balances the crisp pastry. You can use the regular, sweetened shredded coconut you’ll find in bags in the baking aisle or dried unsweetened shredded coconut for this recipe.
• Raisins I like adding raisins or a little extra sweetness and chewy contrast, but you can leave them out if you’re not a fan, or replace them with a different dried fruit. You can use dark or golden raisins.
• Milk gives the pudding its creamy texture and rich flavor. You can use 2% milk or a plant-based milk if you prefer something a little lighter. 
• Sugar and dark brown sugar: This isn’t a wildly sweet dessert, but there is enough sugar to sweeten the milk and bring everything together. I also like to sprinkle a spoonful of dark brown sugar over the top of the finished dessert to add a little caramel flavor. 
• Vanilla extract perfumes the entire dessert with its heady aroma. You could use almond extract in its place, if you like. 
• Heavy cream whipped and dolloped on top and then broiled with brown sugar gives this dessert a burnished, golden top.

How to Make Umm Ali

Really, the hardest part of making my umm ali recipe is remembering to move your package of puff pastry to the fridge to defrost a day ahead of time! I have made this with the help of my girls since they were little; once the pastry is baked it’s largely a matter of tearing, pouring, and sprinkling. Here’s how it goes:

• Get ready. Thaw 1 (1-pound) package puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 13×18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Bake the puff pastry. Unroll the sheets of pastry and lay them in the prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the pastry puffs up and turns a light golden brown. Set aside briefly to cool. Keep the oven on, but switch to the broil setting.
• Build the pudding. Tear the puff pastry into pieces and lay about three-fourths of them in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup roughly chopped hazelnuts, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, 1/2 cup roughly chopped pistachios, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, and 1/2 cup dark or golden raisins on top in an even layer.
• Add the sweetened milk mixture. In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups whole milk or plant-based alternative, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Pour the hot milk over the pastry and nuts, then arrange the remaining pastry pieces on top and push down on them with the back of a spoon.
• Add the topping. In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer set to medium, beat 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream until it thickens and stiff peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Spread the whipped cream on top of the pastry and sprinkle 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar over it.
• Broil the pudding. Place the baking dish on the center rack of the oven and broil for 3 to 6 minutes, watching carefully for the top to turn a nice golden brown.
• Rest and serve. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the pudding sit for a few minutes. Serve in bowls (there will be some liquid). Store leftover pudding covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.