The Dubai Chocolate Bar has taken the world by storm and if you’re lucky to try it then you’ll know how utterly delicious it is! A filling of crunchy toasted kataifi pastry is smothered in pistachio cream and tahini and then enrobed in rich chocolate. But did you know that you can make this version at home yourself (it’s actually pretty straightforward!).
The original creators of the “Can’t Get Knafeh of It” chocolate bar are Dubai’s Fix Dessert Chocolatier. Fix stands for “Freakin’ Incredible eXperience”. The chocolate bar is made of crispy kataifi, pistachio and tahini paste encased in milk chocolate. Kataifi pastry is filo pastry made into fine strings so that it resembles vermicelli noodles or shredded wheat. Kataifi pastry is used in the delicious Middle Eastern dessert Knafeh.
Tips for making the Dubai chocolate
1 – The crunchiness of the kataifi pastry is very important so you need to take time to ensure all of the kataifi pastry is toasted until golden. Kataifi tends to clump up so you want to separate it before using it. If you don’t have a large frying pan with high sides I’d suggest halving the quantity of kataifi and butter and doing it in two batches. If your frying pan is too shallow the kataifi tends to go everywhere when you’re stirring it.
2 – The other key to this recipe is adding the salt. This along with the tahini balances the sweetness of the filling.
3 – You want to ensure that you have a chocolate mold that is deep enough to fit in enough of that luscious filling. The recipe below fits most molds perfectly and makes 2 large 500g chocolate bars.
4 – Dark chocolate is preferred for this but if you prefer a very sweet chocolate bar you can use milk chocolate.
5 – You can add some coconut oil to my chocolate melts as they never quite melt well enough and need to be a bit more liquid. Make sure to stir the coconut oil well into the chocolate melts.
6 – Kataifi pastry can be found at Mediterranean or Middle Eastern grocery stores in the fridge section.
7 – Pistachio cream is made of ground up pistachios, milk powder and oil. If you are finding it hard to find pistachio paste, try Biscoff spread! It’s also delicious.
Sometimes viral items aren’t worth the hype and sometimes they are and this kataifi pastry chocolate is absolutely worth it and is so unique and delicious. The crunch of the pastry makes it addictive eating. You will take a bite and then come back for more and then more.
Dubai Chocolate viral recipe
An original recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus setting time
Cooking time: 18 minutes
Makes 2x500g/1.1lb large chocolate bars
- 150g/5ozs kataifi pastry, chopped and separated
- 60g/2ozs butter
- 360g/12.7ozs pistachio paste
- 20g/0.8oz tahini
- Fat pinch salt
- 15g/0.5oz pink chocolate (I used Wilton red candy melts)
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
- 15g/0.5oz green chocolate (I used Wilton green candy melts)
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
- 500g/1.1lbs dark or milk chocolate
Step 1 – First make the kataifi filling using a large, high sided frying pan. If you have a small frypan I’d recommend doing this in two lots, halve the butter and kataifi and cook separately to ensure that it is completely toasted. In a very large frying pan with high sides melt the butter on medium heat and add the kataifi pastry breaking it up as you add it in. Toast the kataifi pastry well all over. This will take around 10 minutes to toast the whole batch. This is very important to ensure that you get the requisite crunch. In a large bowl mix the pistachio paste, tahini and salt and then add in the kataifi.
Step 2 – Place both molds on a tray. Melt the pink chocolate in one bowl and then stir in the coconut oil. With a teaspoon flick chocolate over the mold lightly making a splash pattern. The do the same with the green chocolate, melting it and mixing it with the coconut oil and then splashing it over the pink. Allow to set in the fridge.
Step 3 – Melt the dark or milk chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler until smooth. Spoon it into the molds and then let the excess drip off but making sure that the chocolate goes all the way up the sides and doesn’t pool too much in the corners. Scrape the sides of the excess chocolate and let set in the fridge.
Step 4 – Spoon in the kataifi pistachio mixture into both molds and smooth over evenly with an angled spatula. Spoon over the remaining chocolate and smooth this over with the spatula. If you have a chocolate scrape make sure to scrape the chocolate from the edges. Allow to set completely. Then unmold and enjoy!
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Source: notquitenigella.com
