This rich and cozy Egyptian bread pudding is made vegan: Om Ali – or Umm Ali. Soaked in a creamy milk mixture, and topped with nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut. An easy delightful dessert to enjoy on any day!

About The Recipe

• Vegan | Dairy-Free

• Easy to make

• Few simple ingredients

• Air Fried

• Single-Serve

What Is Om Ali?

Umm Ali is known as the traditional Egyptian dessert. It translates to “the mother or Ali”. It’s made of somewhat-stale pieces of flatbread, croissants, puff pastry, or phyllo dough. Mixed with nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut. Soaked in a creamy milk mixture. Topped with whipping cream, or Ashta. Baked to golden perfection. The result is a crispy bite on the outside, with super soft and fluffy insides, and a mix of textures!

How To Make Om Ali

Step 1: Prepare the Bread

Using store-bought crescent rolls dough, shape the triangles into croissants, then bake (or air fry) until golden.

Let it cool down completely. Allow to become a little stale/harden (leave overnight).

Step 2: Make the Milk Mixture

Next day – or when the bread has dried a little – whisk the plant milk with spices and vegan whipping cream in a saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Set aside to use for the bread later. Whip up the whipping cream in a separate bowl until thick and creamy.

Step 3: Mix in the Toppings

Break each crescent roll into small chunks and add them to a plate. Coat with a little oil spray. Mix in the nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut. Air fry at 350F for a couple of minutes to crisp up.

Split the mixture into two small ramekins. Drizzle half the milk mixture into each ramekin. Push down with the back of a spoon. Spread the whipped cream on top into an even layer.

Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Top off with more nuts and shredded coconut. Serve immediately.

Expert Tips

• Air fry or Bake. I prefer air frying instead of baking, as it takes less time because of the smaller space. If baking, increase the temperature to 375F and add another 3 to 5 minutes – check on it at 10 minutes.

• Single-Serve or Double Up. This recipe makes 2 small servings. Feel free to double up the ingredients, and use a larger baking dish.

• Push down the bread to soak up the milk. After layering the bread mixture and covering it in milk, push everything down with the back of a spoon to soak up. Then add the whipping cream to spread on top.

Video Recipe

Watch this short recipe video for how to make vegan Om Ali:

FAQs

How to serve Om Ali?
Top off the hot bubbling Umm Ali with chopped nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut. Let it sit for a few minutes to cool down a little, and allow the remaining liquids to be soaked into the bread.

What bread to use for Om Ali?
Umm Ali can be made with a variation of bread options. Traditionally using Egyptian flatbread, or make it with puff pastry, phyllo dough, or stale croissants.

Do you eat Om Ali hot or cold?
Traditionally, Umm Ali is served fresh and hot. But you enjoy it however you like!

How to store leftover Om Ali?
While I don’t recommend it, if you have any leftover Umm Ali, allow to cool down completely, then place in air tight container to store in fridge for a day or two. The pudding texture will change and become more soggy.

Related Recipes

Find more vegan Arabic dessert recipes for any day. Try this Coconut Semolina Cake (called Hareeseh, or Basbousa). Or these crunchy and sweet Fried Dough Balls (called Awameh).

Vegan Om Ali Recipe

If you have any questions about this recipe, or gave it a try, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Remember to rate the recipe with ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. This will help us sustain Plant Based Arab.

Snap a photo of your dish, and tag us on Instagram @PlantBasedArab, so we can see and share your remake!

Om Ali (Egyptian Bread Pudding)

Recipe by Waseem HijaziCourse: DessertsCuisine: Arabic, Egyptian, Middle EasternDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Baking time

10

minutes

Total time

15

minutes

This rich and cozy Egyptian bread pudding is made vegan: Om Ali – or Umm Ali. Soaked in a creamy milk mixture, and topped with nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut. An easy delightful dessert to enjoy on any day!

Ingredients

• 2 small crescent rolls, store-bought dough

• Oil spray

• 2 tbsp walnuts, chopped

• 2 tbsp pistachios, chopped

• 2 tbsp raisins

• 1 tbsp shredded coconut

• 1/3 cup whipping cream, whipped

• For the milk mixture:

• 3/4 cup plant milk (oat milk)

• 1/8 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup vegan whipping cream

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• Pinch of cardamom

Directions

• Use stale store-bought crescent rolls. Break it up into small chunks. Cover in oil spray. Add the walnuts, pistachios, raisins, and coconut. Mix to combine. Air fry at 350F for 3 minutes.
• Whisk the milk ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Set aside to use for the bread. Whip up the whipping cream in a bowl until thick and creamy.
• Split the bread mixture into two small ramekins. Cover each with the hot milk, pushing down with the back of a spoon. Spread the whipped cream over the top. Air fry at 350F for 10 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Top off with more nuts, raisins, and coconut.

Notes

• Air fry or Bake. I prefer air frying instead of baking, as it takes less time because of the smaller space. If baking, increase the temperature to 375F and add another 3 to 5 minutes – check on it at 10 minutes.
• Single-Serve or Double Up. This recipe makes 2 small servings. Feel free to double up the ingredients, and use a larger baking dish.
• Push down the bread to soak up the milk. After layering the bread mixture and covering it in milk, push everything down with the back of a spoon to soak up. Then add the whipping cream to spread on top.

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