Aish El Saraya or Aisha As Saraya is a middle eastern dessert much similar to a dessert called Umm Ali. It is more like a bread pudding trifle with a fragrant and sweetened cream on top. When I tasted this dessert for the first time, it almost felt like a comfort food just like how I feel when I have a Traditional Rice Dessert. You will get that middle eastern feel because of the orange blossom water used to flavor the dish. In case you are not much familiar with this ingredient, you can just use rose water and some cardamom powder instead. I had prepared this dessert just last weekend, which also happens to be the National Day of UAE. Being a long weekend, we had a small family get-together with our elders and their children along with their families. And coincidentally the theme for this month’s Muslim Food Blogger’s Challenge happens to be an ‘Arabic Dessert’. So keeping in mind both the occasions, ie weekend parties and National Day celebrations I decided to make this dessert which also goes as my contribution to this month’s bloggers challenge.
Recipe Adapted from Savoryandsweetfood
Aish El Saraya
Ingredients
For Custard:
- ½ liter milk
- 1 tin sweetened condensed milk 400 gms
- 300 ml cream tetra pack or fresh
- 5 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 teaspoon rose water
- 2 teaspoon orange blossom water
For Sweet Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
Other Ingredients:
- 30 small size toasted bread rusk or more as required to line the pan
- 1 cup coarsely crushed pistachios
- ¼ cup dry rose petals optional
Instructions
For Sweet Syrup:
- Heat a small saucepan and add sugar, water, and lemon juice. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, add rose water and orange blossom water. Stir well and bring to a steady boil. As soon as it starts to boil, switch off the flame and let the sugar syrup cool down.
- Take two square serving dishes to set the dessert of 7×7 inches or 1 large dish of approx 9×13 inches. Line the dish with bread rusk side by side. You can either make a single layer or a double layer of rusk, according to your choice. Pour the sugar syrup over the rusk and set it aside to let it soak and soften for some time.
For Custard:
- Take half a cup of cold milk (from 1/2 liter) and mix in cornflour. Whisk well to remove all the lumps. In a saucepan combine together the rest of the milk, cream, condensed milk, rose water, orange blossom, and 1/2 cup cornflour milk. Heat it on the medium flame and keep stirring to avoid any lumps. As you keep stirring, the custard will slowly start to thicken but maintain a pouring consistency. This will take around 5 minutes.
- Slightly cool the custard for a few minutes and then pour it over the soaked bread rusk by spreading it evenly. Sprinkle crushed pistachios on the top along with rose petals and set them in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours.
- Cut into square pieces and serve chilled.
If you have any queries regarding the recipe, do mention it in the comments section and I shall get back to you.
Kindly give feedback in the comment section and send me your pics of tried dishes through email or DM on Instagram. Do not forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel and share it with your friends. To catch up with daily recipe share, follow my Facebook Page.
