Dubai Chocolate Bar Recipe

Looking for a show-stopping sweet treat with a Middle Eastern twist? The Dubai Chocolate Bar takes all the best textures and flavors—crunchy, creamy, nutty, and chocolatey—and wraps them up in a glossy, gorgeous chocolate shell. Inspired by Dubai’s vibrant dessert scene, it’s an eye-catching delight you’ll crave again and again!

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Ingredients You’ll Need

This Dubai Chocolate Bar is all about simple, high-quality ingredients that wow. Each component—from the flaky kataifi pastry to the vivid pistachio cream—adds its own magic to the taste, texture, and look of your stunning bars.

• Unsalted butter or coconut oil: Melts into the kataifi for that golden, irresistible crunch and helps create a glossy, smooth chocolate shell.
• Kataifi pastry dough: These delicate, shredded dough threads crisp up into a crunchy, baklava-like base—absolutely essential for authentic texture.
• Creamy pistachio butter or pistachio cream: This bright green spread lends a buttery, nutty richness and the signature Dubai flavor.
• Tahini: A silky-smooth sesame paste that deepens the nutty undertones and pairs beautifully with pistachios.
• Kosher salt: Just a pinch sharpens all those sweet and nutty notes and keeps things from tasting flat.
• White chocolate chips (with cocoa butter): When melted and swirled, they give your bars those gorgeous, marbled accents on top.
• Green food coloring (optional): Just a drop or two makes the white chocolate swirl really pop and hints at the pistachio surprise inside.
• Milk chocolate chips (good quality): A silky, melt-in-your-mouth outer shell that holds everything together and looks stunning in your mold.

Variations

One of the joys of the Dubai Chocolate Bar is how playful and customizable it can be. Whether you have a craving or a dietary need, there’s always a way to make this recipe your own signature treat!

• Make It Vegan: Swap out the butter for coconut oil and use dairy-free chocolate chips to keep all the luxury—just make sure your pistachio cream is vegan as well.
• Nutella-Kataifi Combo: Switch up the pistachio cream for classic Nutella or any hazelnut spread for a whole new flavor profile that’s just as decadent.
• Dark Chocolate Shell: Use dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate for deeper cocoa notes and a less-sweet finish.
• Fruit Twist: Gently fold in chopped dried apricots or candied orange peel into the filling for a hit of chew and a punch of fruity flavor.

How to Make Dubai Chocolate Bar

Step 1: Toast the Kataifi

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, then add your coarsely chopped kataifi pastry. Stir often—it’ll toast up into golden, crispy perfection in about 8–10 minutes, with your kitchen smelling like the inside of a Middle Eastern bakery. Immediately transfer to a bowl so it stays crunchy!

Step 2: Make the Nutty Filling

While your kataifi is still warm, stir in the pistachio butter, tahini, and kosher salt. Mix until you have a lush, sticky filling speckled with crispy bits. This is the heart of the Dubai Chocolate Bar—a dreamy, creamy pistachio center with plenty of rich, toasty depth.

Step 3: Prep the Mold with a White Chocolate Swirl

Melt the white chocolate chips gently over a double boiler, then swirl in a drop or two of green food coloring if you like. Drizzle the colored chocolate inside your Dubai chocolate bar mold—there’s no right or wrong way, just go for abstract and organic! Pop the molds in the freezer so the swirls set while you melt the chocolate shell.

Step 4: Make the Milk Chocolate Shell

Using your double boiler again, melt most of your milk chocolate chips with the last tablespoon of butter until gloriously smooth. Stir in the reserved chocolate chips at the end for a glossy finish—it’ll help temper the chocolate. Spread a thin layer in the molds, coating the bottom and sides. Freeze briefly so it’s nice and snappy before you add the filling.

Step 5: Assemble and Set

Press the pistachio-kataifi filling evenly into your chocolate-lined mold. Pour over the rest of the melted chocolate and spread it to fill—don’t forget to scrape off any excess for sharp, clean edges. Chill in the fridge for at least 40 minutes, then un-mold. If you’re feeling extra, trim the edges with a hot knife for that bakery-perfect finish. Now, all that’s left is to admire your work before you slice in!

How to Serve Dubai Chocolate Bar

Garnishes

I love adding a final flourish: a sprinkle of chopped pistachios, a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt, or a light dusting of edible gold leaf to turn your Dubai Chocolate Bar into the jewel of any dessert board. The white chocolate swirls do most of the heavy lifting, but these extras will really make it sparkle!

Side Dishes

This rich, nutty treat pairs beautifully with black coffee, Turkish tea, or a tiny cup of cardamom-spiced Arabic coffee. For a full-on Dubai-inspired dessert spread, set it out alongside fresh fruit or baklava for a stunning, crowd-pleasing finale.

Creative Ways to Present

To wow your guests, slice the Dubai Chocolate Bar into elegant fingers and arrange on a marble platter, or cut into cubes and spear with pretty toothpicks for parties. For gifting, wrap individual bars or pieces in cellophane tied with a ribbon for a chic, Middle Eastern-inspired surprise.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

One of the best things about the Dubai Chocolate Bar is that it keeps its freshness and texture for quite a while. Store your bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator—they’ll stay perfect and delicious for up to 3 weeks, making this a dream for busy hosts or habitual snackers.

Freezing

If you’d like to plan even further ahead, the Dubai Chocolate Bar freezes well for up to 2 months. Wrap pieces tightly in parchment and then in foil, and let them thaw in the fridge before serving for best flavor and texture.

Reheating

The magic of this dessert? No reheating required! Just take your Dubai Chocolate Bar out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving so the chocolate softens ever so slightly for the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth bite.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking to impress, treat yourself, or bring the taste of Dubai’s extravagant dessert scene into your own kitchen, the Dubai Chocolate Bar is the way to go. Trust me—every bite is pure joy, and you’ll be dreaming about your next batch before you’ve even finished the first!

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