Saffron Cardamom Croissant Om Ali

Whenever I make Om Ali, I always think of my grandmother. It happens to be her nickname as well, and somehow that makes it feel even more personal.

It’s a dish that feels almost like a family member. Whenever I think about my grandmother, who passed away, I also find myself thinking about the other grandmothers and the generations of my family who lived in the United Arab Emirates long before us. Their lives were built on this land, and slowly it was passed down to us.

We didn’t choose to be here. We were born here — our forefathers were from this region long before us.

This is where we belong, and this is where we stay.

And this dish gives me a sense of belonging, even though it’s not originally from the UAE.

The flavours in this Om Ali revolve around two key ingredients: saffron and cardamom. Both are essential in much of Gulf cuisine, especially in desserts. We love adding them to sweet dishes, and a comforting dessert during the holy month would hardly feel complete without them — something warm and generous to be shared among loved ones.

Om Ali is a Middle Eastern bread pudding. Traditionally, it’s made with puff pastry or phyllo as the base, but over time we found a certain comfort in using stale croissants instead. It saves the extra step of baking or toasting the puff pastry or phyllo before assembling the dish with the rest of the ingredients.

Here, saffron brings a delicate floral note to the milky base, while cardamom adds a gentle warmth. The texture is important too. Om Ali shouldn’t be dry; it should have a soft, custardy base. If it looks a little watery at first, simply bake it a bit longer. As it cools, it will naturally thicken and settle into a creamy, custard-like texture — sweet, fragrant, and rich.

Serves 6–8

Base

• 7–8 stale croissants, torn into large pieces (or 10–12 mini croissants)

• 2½ cups (600 ml) whole milk

• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream

• ½ cup (100 g) sugar

• ½ tsp ground cardamom

• Pinch of saffron threads or more if desired.

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• pinch of sea salt

For the Top

• ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream

• 1 tbsp sugar

Method

1. Infuse the saffron

In saucepan warm the milk and add the saffron. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes so the color and aroma release.

2. Prepare the milk mixture

In the same saucepan, add cream, sugar, cardamom, vanilla, sea salt. Warm gently until hot, but do not let it boil.

3. Prepare the base

Arrange the torn croissants in a baking dish. Scatter the pistachios, almonds, raisins, and coconut between the layers.

4. Soak the croissants

Pour the hot milk mixture over the croissants and let it sit for about 5 minutes so the pastry absorbs the liquid.

5. Add the cream topping

Drizzle the extra ½ cup cream over the top and sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon sugar.

6. Bake

Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling.

7. Finish

Serve warm with extra pistachios and, if you like, a light drizzle of honey