Here’s how to make the viral Dubai Chocolate bar at home that's so much cheaper than buying it! It has a hard chocolate shell with a creamy crunchy pistachio filling that's crazy delicious. Yep it's worth all the hype!
If you've been scrolling on social media, you've probably come across the famous Dubai Chocolate that's been trending the last couple of years. It's basically a luxury chocolate bar oozing with a crunchy pistachio filing that almost looks too pretty to eat! Influencers were going crazy viral for mukbang videos, tasting the chocolate bars which made them so hard to buy, not to mention crazy expensive at $20 USD for one bar of chocolate!
So why pay this when you can make it at home for a fraction of the price?? Here I show you how easy it is to make the viral Dubai chocolate recipe at home. Until I tried it, I thought it was just another viral trend, but nope it's just as delicious as it looks. The traditional bar is made with milk chocolate, but since I'm a dark chocolate girl I've made my mine with dark choc instead. All you need is to purchase a silicone chocolate bar mold and a handful of ingredients and we're ready to get started.
Table of Contents
Recipe Highlights
- Viral Tiktok Trend: Make the viral trending recipe at home that's worth the hype!
- Crazy Delicious: Rich chocolate, a creamy pistachio filling with a satisfying crunch in every bite
- No Bake Dessert: Easy steps that anyone can make with no baking required
What is Dubai Chocolate?
The original birthplace of the Dubai Chocolate was created by FIX Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai. They make luxury chocolate bars that almost look too pretty to eat! Their most popular flavor "Can’t Get Knafeh of It" is a chocolate bar filled with a crunchy pistachio filling made with shredded filo pastry. Like its name, it's inspired by knafeh, the very beloved Middle Eastern dessert.
Influencers were going viral from mukbang videos tasting the famous Dubai chocolate bar and has made the brand a global sensation with many chocolate brands now offering this flavor.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chocolate, I mean you can't make a chocolate bar without chocolate right! I'm a dark chocolate girl so I've used 70% cacao for a deeper rich flavor, however milk chocolate is traditionally used. Feel free to use your favorite chocolate type, but I do recommend a good-quality chocolate such as Lindt, as it will make a difference to the final taste
- Pistachio spread (pistachio butter) is what gives the filling the green creamy texture. I recommend buying a brand with a higher percentage of pistachios in the ingredients, as they do include sugar and oil. If you can't get your hands on it, you can experiment to make your own by blending pistachios in a high speed food processor
- Kataifi is the second key ingredient needed for the filling. It's a shredded filo pastry that’s fried until golden and mixed into the filling. It’s what gives that irresistible crispy knafeh crunch
- Tahini is a thick paste made from ground sesame seeds and commonly used in recipes such as hummus. It helps balance the sweetness and adds depth with a nutty flavor and also makes the filling extra creamy without any dairy. I prefer using organic tahini with just sesame seeds as the ingredient - you’ll usually find it at most health food or grocery stores
- Olive oil is used to toast the kataifi. I always use extra virgin olive oil, however you can use butter for a rich taste
- Salt, a good pinch is added to balance out the sweetness
How to make Dubai Chocolate
Make the viral Dubai Chocolate Bar at home - you'll be surprised how easy it is! With layers of rich chocolate and a creamy crunchy pistachio kataifi filling, every bite is satisfying. Follow my simple steps below (note quantities are listed in the recipe card below)
Step 1: Break the chocolate into smaller pieces and add half to a heatproof bowl. Melt in the microwave or over a double boiler, stirring occasionally until smooth
Step 2: Pour the melted chocolate into a silicone mold. Spread into an even layer, coating the sides with a brush or spatula. Pour any excess chocolate back into the bowl, then freeze for 15 minutes
Step 3: While the chocolate sets, roughly chop the kataifi
Step 4: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and add the kataifi
Step 5: Toast kataifi until golden and crunchy, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes)
Step 6: Transfer toasted kataifi to a bowl. Once slightly cooled, add the pistachio spread, tahini and a pinch of salt. Stir until well combined
Step 7: Pour the filling into the chocolate mold and spread evenly. Freeze for 15 minutes
Step 8: Melt the remaining chocolate, then pour over the filling and spread into an even layer. Remove any excess chocolate if needed, then freeze for 1 hour
Step 9: Carefully remove the chocolate bar from the mold
Step 10: Snap it open to reveal the creamy crunchy filling and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Use a silicone chocolate mold for easy removal and clean edges
- Keep your eyes on the kataifi whilst toasting, as it can burn easily
- Chill the chocolate bar in the freezer between the layering which will help everything set separately
- Don’t skip the pinch of salt or the tahini, it enhances the yummy nutty flavor and balances the sweetness
Storage Instructions
- Store pieces in an air tight container or zip lock bag in the fridge to maintain freshness and crunch
- For longer storage, freeze in portions and thaw when you want a little treat
- Don’t reheat or microwave, allow it soften and thaw naturally at room temperature instead
FAQs
It’s sweet, rich and creamy with the perfect textures. The outside chocolate has a hard shell, once broken into, the filling is a creamy pistachio flavor with the perfect crunch from the kataifi
The chocolate bars look luxurious and fancy with their eye catching look and oozing fillings, however I believe social media turned this chocolate bar into a globally recognized dessert
Yes of course! Traditionally it’s made with milk chocolate which is overall sweeter and more creamy, however I've used dark chocolate for a more rich bold flavor. Feel free to use your favorite
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I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Dubai Chocolate (Viral Recipe)
Ingredients
- 5.5oz / 155g dark chocolate - I've used 70% cacao. You can use milk chocolate if you prefer
- 4.5oz / 125g kataifi shredded filo dough - thawed if frozen
- 7oz / 200g pistachio spread/butter
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Break the chocolate into smaller pieces and add half to a heat proof bowl. Melt the chocolate in either the microwave or using double boiler method by adding a few inches of water to a pot over medium heat and place the bowl on top (making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl), melt the chocolate stirring occasionally
- Once melted, pour the chocolate into a silicone chocolate mold (see notes for size). Spread the chocolate around to an even layer using a cooking brush or spatula, making sure to also come up on the edges. Note, if there’s a lot of excess chocolate on the bottom, pour it back into the bowl. Place mold in the freezer to set for 15 minutes
- Whilst the chocolate is setting, make the filling. Roughly chop up the kataifi
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a skillet over medium heat and add the kataifi. Saute to toast the kataifi until golden brown and crunchy, stirring occasionally. It should take about 10 mins - keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn
- Add the toasted kataifi to a bowl and once slightly cooled, add the pistachio spread, tahini and a pinch of salt. Stir well until nicely coated
- Pour the mixture into the chocolate mold and spread it out evenly, then place in the freezer to set for 15 minutes
- Melt the remaining chocolate and pour over the filling, gently spreading out to an even layer using a rubber spatula. Remove any excess chocolate if needed. Place in the freezer to set for 1 hour
- Carefully remove bar from mold and snap the bar to reveal the creamy crunchy filling and dig into your delicious homemade Dubai Chocolate bar!
Notes
- Mold - use a silicone chocolate mold for easy removal and clean edges. The mold used for this recipe was 9.8 inches (25 cm) long, 5.3 inches (13.5 cm) wide and 0.8 inches (2 cm) deep, but a similar-sized mold will also work
- Freezing Times: Chill the chocolate bar in the freezer between layers to help each layer set separately. For the final freeze, if you let it freeze over 1 hour, you will need to let the chocolate thaw slightly in the fridge or at room temperature before breaking, as the filling won’t be as creamy straight from the freezer
- Kataifi - watch the kataifi closely while toasting, as it can burn quickly
- Tahini - don’t skip the tahini or pinch of salt, as they enhance the nutty flavor and balance the sweetness
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