Aish Al Saraya

Aish Al Saraya, which translates to “palace bread,” is a much-loved Arab dessert. It’s made with layers of toasted bread soaked in fragrant sugar syrup, then topped with ashta (clotted cream) and a good sprinkle of crushed pistachios. Think of it as an Arab-style bread pudding that’s not only simple to make, but also great for preparing ahead of time and perfect for sharing.

Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

1 batch ashta (clotted cream – recipe here)

Sugar syrup (recipe here)

6 slices brioche, crusts removed

25 g unsalted butter, melted

½ cup pistachios, crushed

Method

1. Brush a pie dish with half the melted butter.

2. Arrange the brioche in a single layer to cover the base. Trim pieces if needed so it fits snugly.

3. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 10 minutes, until the bread is golden and toasted.

4. Pour sugar syrup evenly over the toasted bread, keeping a little aside for serving.

5. Spread the ashta over the top, smoothing it out.

6. Sprinkle with crushed pistachios. Cover and refrigerate overnight to set.

7. Serve chilled, with an extra drizzle of sugar syrup if you like.

NOTES:

• Bread choice: Brioche works beautifully because it’s soft and slightly sweet, but you can also use plain white sandwich bread. Just remove the crusts for a smoother finish.

• Ashta shortcut: If you don’t have time to make traditional ashta, you can substitute with thickened cream, ricotta or mascarpone mixed with a little rosewater or orange blossom water.

• Make ahead: This dessert tastes better when it has a chance to rest overnight, so plan to prepare it the day before serving.

• Serving: For a pretty presentation, garnish with dried rose petals or a light dusting of cinnamon. Serve in the dish or cut into neat squares for individual portions.