The Holy month of Ramadan is here with an occasion to cleanse our mind, body, and soul.

Ramadan brings out the best in everyone. We celebrate it with kindness, concern for others, and sweets! Here is a list of amazing desserts that can be enjoyed after a long day of fasting with a cup of coffee or tea.

1. Umm Ali

Umm Ali or Om Ali is a traditional Egyptian dessert that, if prepared properly, can be a treat for your taste buds this Ramadan. Also known as Egyptian bread pudding. It’s the ideal dessert for breaking up with your Roza. It is enriched with crunchy nuts, which adds to the appeal of this dessert.

Ingredients for Umm Ali Recipe

• Milk 2 cups
• Puff Pastry readymade 250 grams
• Condensed milk 1 cup
• Fresh cream ½ cup
• Cinnamon 2 inches
• Pistachios chopped 2 tablespoons
• Walnuts chopped 2 tablespoons
• Cashewnuts chopped 2 tablespoons

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Step 2

Pour milk, condensed milk, cream, and cinnamon into a non-stick pan. Mix well and heat the mixture thoroughly.

Step 3

Break the puff pastry into small pieces and put it into a bowl. Add half the chopped nuts.

Step 4

Spread the puff pastry-nuts mixture in a glass baking dish. Pour the milk mixture on top.

Step 5

Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for twenty to twenty-five minutes.

Step 6

Bring the dish out of the oven, add the remaining chopped nuts. Place the dish back in the oven and bake for three to four minutes more. Remove from oven and cool.

Step 7

Serve.

2. Strawberry labneh

Try this simple summer dessert made with thick Greek yogurt, strawberries macerated in rosewater, honey, and pistachios. Serve with biscuits as a side dish.

Ingredients:

400g natural, thick, full-fat Greek yogurt

400g strawberries

1 ½ tsp caster sugar

2 tsp rosewater

3 tbsp good-quality honey

chopped pistachios, to serve

Method

• STEP 1
  Mix the yogurt with a pinch of salt. Line a sieve with muslin and set over a deep bowl. Spoon in the yogurt and put in the fridge to strain for 4 hrs.
• STEP 2
  Meanwhile, hull and quarter the strawberries, mix them with the sugar and rosewater, and leave to macerate.
• STEP 3
  After 4 hrs, turn the labneh out into a clean bowl. Gently fold through the honey. Take ¼ of the strawberries and purée them in a blender, then fold into the labneh, so you have a rippled yogurt. Serve in glass bowls with the rest of the strawberries on top, scatter with pistachios, and serve with the pistachio & coriander seed biscuits on the side.

3. Cinnamon porridge with banana & berries

Start your day off right with energy-boosting oats and fresh fruit.

Ingredients

1. 100g porridge oats
2. ½ tsp cinnamon, plus extra to serve
3. 4 tsp demerara sugar
4. 450ml skimmed milk
5. 3 bananas, sliced
6. 400g punnet strawberries, hulled and halved
7. 150g pot fat-free natural yogurt

        Method

• STEP 1
  In a medium-sized saucepan, mix the oats, cinnamon, sugar, milk, and half the sliced bananas. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down the heat and cook for 4-5 mins, stirring all the time.
• STEP 2
  Remove and divide between 4 bowls, top with the remaining banana, strawberries, a dollop of yogurt, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

4. Apple & linseed porridge

Start your day off right with a nutrient-dense oaty breakfast that’s high in stomach-friendly fiber and good for digestion.

Ingredients

100g porridge oat

2 eating apples, peeled and grated

½ tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for sprinkling

500ml skimmed milk

2 tbsp ground linseed

150ml pot probiotic yogurt

drizzle of honey or agave syrup

Method

• STEP 1
  In a medium saucepan, mix the oats, apples, cinnamon and milk. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, then turn down the heat and cook for 4-5 mins, stirring constantly.
• STEP 2
  Stir in the ground linseeds, then divide into 4 breakfast bowls. Top each with a dollop of yogurt, a drizzle of honey or agave syrup, and a sprinkle of more cinnamon.

5. Arabian Rose Water Pudding (Muhalbiyah)

This delicate rose pudding is a deliciously creamy dessert with floral and nutty undertones. We made it vegan and sugar-free to provide a healthier alternative to the traditional Middle Eastern muhallebi. It’s ideal for preparing ahead of time and serving at a formal dinner — your guests will adore it!

Ingredients

3 ½ cups water

½ cup rose water

½ cup dry milk powder

½ cup white sugar

5 tablespoons cornstarch

Method

Step 1

In a saucepan, whisk together water, rose water, milk powder, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, over medium heat until it begins to boil; cook for 2 minutes at a boil. Remove from heat and stir a few times to help it cool.

Step 2

Divide the mixture among 8 small serving glasses and place in the refrigerator until set, about 2 hours.

6. Pistachio bird’s nests

For a sweet treat, make these pistachio ‘bird’s nests’ with kataifi pastry (a very finely shredded filo pastry available online) and a lemon sugar syrup.

Ingredients

40g pistachios

400g sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

300g kataifi pastry

375g butter, melted

Method

Step 1

Soak the pistachios for 30 minutes in water. In a pan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in 500ml water, then bring to a boil and continue to bubble for 15-20 minutes, or until reduced and slightly syrupy. Boil for another minute after adding the lemon.

Step 2

Cover the kataifi with a damp cloth to keep it from drying out. Wrap a finely twisted 30cm length of pastry in a circular motion around two fingers to form a nest. Transfer to a baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining pastry.

Step 3

Drain the pistachios and place four or five in the center of each nest. Cover the nests with baking parchment, then place another baking tray on top, followed by a 1kg weight. Allow for one hour at room temperature before removing the parchment and leaving for another hour to dry.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7 and set aside. Pour the melted butter over and around the nests, so they’re sitting in a layer of it. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown, turning the tray halfway through to ensure the nests are evenly colored. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a clean baking tray and pouring over the syrup. Allow cooling completely in the syrup before serving.

7. Salted caramel & hazelnut banoffee pie

With a crunchy hazelnut praline, salted caramel, and muscovado whipped cream, try a new take on banoffee pie. You’ll save time by using a few shortcut ingredients.

Ingredients

100g blanched hazelnuts

4 tbsp caster sugar

300g chocolate oat biscuits

85g salted butter, melted

400g dulce de Leche

300ml double cream

3 tbsp dark muscovado sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or 1 tsp vanilla extract

3 medium bananas, peeled and sliced

Method

Step 1

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the hazelnuts onto a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for 10-15 mins until evenly golden. Tip into a bowl. Line the baking sheet with baking parchment and set it aside.

Step 2

Tip the caster sugar, half the toasted hazelnuts, and a small pinch of sea salt into a small saucepan set over low heat. Cook gently for 7-10 mins until the sugar melts and turns an amber color – do not stir, but swirl the pan every now and again. Tip the mix onto the baking sheet. Leave to cool completely, then break up into small pieces.

Step 3

Line the base of a 23cm fluted tart tin with baking parchment. Break the biscuits into a food processor, and blitz with the rest of the hazelnuts to a fine crumb. Or, seal the biscuits and nuts in a food bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Tip the crumbs into a bowl and combine with the melted butter. Press into the base of the tin and up the side, then chill for 2 hrs.

Step 4

Remove the cold tart base from the tin (if it sticks slightly, put it in a warm oven for 3-4 mins to help release it), then set it on a serving plate. Spoon the dulce de leche into a bowl and gently fold in a large pinch of sea salt (don’t overmix, or it will become too loose).

Step 5

Tip the cream, muscovado sugar, and vanilla into another bowl and gently beat with an electric whisk until softly whipped. Spread the salted caramel over the base of the tart, then arrange the banana slices on top. Spoon over the muscovado cream. Chill for at least 3 hrs, or overnight. Scatter with the hazelnut praline just before serving.