Yesterday’s croissants found new life in my kitchen —
transformed into a Middle Eastern bread pudding, I tore the buttery layers, soaked them in warm milk, cream, and sugar, then sprinkled pistachios, coconut, and golden raisins. Baked until the edges caramelized and the center turned custardy, it came out sweet, fragrant, and comforting — a dessert that tastes like warmth, hospitality, and a touch of nostalgia in every bite.
- broken into bite-size pieces 4–5 croissants
- 4 cups whole milk
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp rosewater or orange blossom water
- ½ tsp ground cardamom (optional but wonderful)
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- ½ cup pistachios, chopped
- ½ cup golden raisins or chopped dates
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
- Butter for greasing the dish
- Cinnamon for dusting
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F
Grease a medium baking dish with butter. - Layer the broken pieces of croissant in the dish. Scatter over the nuts, raisins and coconut.
- Make the milk mixture:
In a saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and sugar until it steams and the sugar dissolves.
Stir in rosewater and cardamom. Remove from heat. - Assemble:
Pour the hot milk mixture evenly over the pastry layers. Let it sit for 10 minutes so the pastry soaks up the flavor. - Bake:
Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until golden and bubbling at the edges. - Finish:
Dust with cinnamon, sprinkle more nuts, and drizzle a little cream or condensed milk before serving warm.
