qataridessert
Umm Ali
Qatar's beloved warm bread pudding with nuts, raisins, and cream — rich and deeply comforting.
Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Easy
★★★★★
4.9(1,450 ratings)#dessert#pastry#cream#nuts#baked
About This Recipe
Umm Ali is the most popular dessert across Qatar and much of the Arab world: layers of crispy pastry or bread soaked in sweetened milk and cream, studded with pistachios, coconut, and raisins, then baked until bubbling and golden. It is the Arab equivalent of a bread and butter pudding and utterly irresistible.
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 4 sheetspuff pastry, baked and broken into pieces
- 500 mlfull-fat milk
- 200 mldouble cream
- 4 tbspsugar
- 1/2 cupmixed nuts and raisins
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven
Heat oven to 200 °C.
- 2
Layer pastry
Arrange broken pastry pieces in a deep oven dish. Scatter nuts and raisins evenly over the top.
- 3
Make milk mixture
Warm milk, cream, and sugar together until sugar dissolves. Pour evenly over the pastry, pressing pieces down gently so they soak.
- 4
Bake and serve
Bake for 20–25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve hot, directly from the dish.
Pro Tips
- →
Use pastry that is already baked and slightly stale for the best texture.
- →
Do not over-soak — some pieces should remain slightly crispy on top.
Variations
- •
Add a pinch of saffron or cardamom to the milk mixture.
- •
Scatter desiccated coconut over the top before baking.
Storage
Best eaten fresh. Leftovers reheat well in the oven at 160 °C for 10 minutes.
History & Origin
Umm Ali ('Mother of Ali') is one of the oldest known desserts of the Arab world, with origins traced to medieval Egypt and beloved across the entire region today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use croissants instead of puff pastry?
Yes — day-old croissants torn into pieces are a popular and delicious substitute.
How do I prevent it from being too soggy?
Use slightly less milk and leave some pastry exposed above the liquid line so it crisps on top.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (250g) · 6 servings total
Calories480kcal
Protein9g
Carbohydrates42g
Fat30g
Fiber2g
Protein9g
Carbs42g
Fat30g
Time Summary
Prep time10 min
Cook time25 min
Total time35 min
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