Umm Ali (Arabian Bread Pudding)

Introduction

I remember when i was start my career in the hospitality industry i learn so much thing about the kitchen and the recipes and so many things but that time i don't know about Arabian cooking .when I came to middle east then i learned Arabian cooking and my favorite dessert is umm ali.
why this dessert called umm ali it's means"Ali's Mother"that had a dessert named after her.we tried to imagine what she might have looked like and had many laughs as the possibilities.we decided in the end that she must have been on amazing mother to think of making a dessert so luxurious and comforting for her children.this pudding has on exceptional texture because I use filo and puff pastry .and the flavours....so Moorish!

Cook Time

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 1 hour 15 min

Ready in: 1 hour 45 min

Yields: serve 10-12

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup clarified butter, melted
• 300 gm filo pastry
• 300gm puff pastry
• 4 cups full fat milk
• 2 cups double cream
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 no vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
• 3/4 cup golden raisins, soaked in 1/2 cup rose water
• 3/4 cup pistachio nuts
• 1/2 cup apricots, sliced thinly
• 3/4 cup almonds, sliced and toasted
• 2tbs rose water
• 1 tbs orange blossom water
• 1/2 cup whipping cream, lightly whipped
• 1/2 cup icing sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 170 c. lightly brush the filo pastry with the melted butter and lay on large baking sheet.bake until golden and crisp.remove to cool.
2. Place rolled -out puff pastry on another baking sheet and bake following the package instructions until puffed and crisp remove to cool.
3. In a deep baking dish (20 cm diameter) place some of the baked pastries as the first layer.sprinkle with some nuts ,raisins,and apricots.
4. Add more layer in the same order until done.
5. In a large sauce pan heat the milk ,cream ,sugar and the scraped vanilla pod and seeds.allow to come to boil for two minutes.
6. Take it off the heat and add the rose water and orange blossom water.remove the vanilla pod ,and carefully and gradually pour the hot milk/cream over the pastries.
7. Leave it for 10 minutes to soak up all the liquid.top with the whipped cream and sprinkle icing sugar and bake for 40 minutes until the top browns and becomes puffed up.
8. Remove and leave to sit for 10 minutes.garnish with toasted almonds and pistachios at the last minutes.
9. Serve hot straight from the pan.some time I make individual portions in ramekins.the time in the oven will be reduce by the half.

Tips

• Don't over heat your oven. Keep lower heat always.
• Serve hot and arrange nicely when it serve.
• Don't make before and preheat, same time make and serve, if not you cannot get nice taste.