Whichever story you choose to believe, this dessert is worth trying. The contrast between the creamy bread pudding and the crunchy nuts, the mild sweet milk and cream vs the spicy tone of the cinnamon and cardamom makes this um ali dessert irresistible warm or cold.The nut mix you put into the Um Ali is entirely up to your taste, you can use one, some or all the nuts listed in the recipe. You can also combine puff pastry with toasted Phylo sheets or use Phylo alone or even croissants for your base.