Dubai Chocolate
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If you have been curious about the viral Dubai chocolate trend, you are in for such a treat. These little chocolate cups are rich, crisp, creamy, and completely irresistible, with layers of chocolate wrapped around a buttery pistachio-kataifi filling.
Table of Contents
- Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- In Photos: How To Make Dubai Chocolate
- More Chocolate Recipes
Dubai chocolate is inspired by the now-famous combination of milk or dark chocolate, pistachio cream, and kataifi, which is a shredded phyllo dough that becomes deliciously crisp when toasted.
The filling is rich and nutty, with a subtle savory edge from sesame oil or tahini, and the chocolate coating brings everything together into a polished, candy-like treat.
In this version, the mixture is layered into cupcake liners to create individual chocolate cups that are easy to serve and even easier to love.
This is the kind of no-fuss dessert that looks impressive on a platter, makes a beautiful edible gift, and disappears very quickly whenever you set it out.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You will love how these little chocolate cups deliver so much texture and flavor in one bite, with crisp toasted kataifi, creamy pistachio filling, and a smooth chocolate shell.
- This recipe feels luxurious and impressive, but it is actually very approachable and easy to pull together in your own kitchen.
- They are perfect for parties, gifting, and special occasions, since they look beautiful and can be made ahead.
- You can also customize them to suit your taste, whether you finish them with chopped pistachios, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, or keep them simple and elegant.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you’re cooking.
- Unsalted butter: Used to toast the kataifi and give it a rich, buttery flavor.
- Kataifi: This shredded phyllo dough adds the signature crisp, delicate crunch that makes Dubai chocolate so unique.
- Pistachio cream: Smooth, nutty, and lightly sweet, this forms the heart of the filling.
- Toasted sesame oil or tahini: Adds depth and a subtle savory note that beautifully balances the sweetness.
- Kosher salt: Helps sharpen all the flavors and keeps the filling from tasting flat.
- Green food coloring: Optional, but can give the filling that vivid pistachio look.
- Chocolate: Forms the shell and the top layer, creating that glossy, rich finish.
- Chopped pistachios: Optional garnish for color and extra crunch.
- Flaky sea salt: Optional, but lovely for a little contrast and sparkle.
In Photos: How To Make Dubai Chocolate
Step 1: Toast the kataifi
Melt the butter in a large skillet over very low heat. Add the kataifi and cook, stirring constantly, until it becomes golden, fragrant, and lightly crisp.
This step is important because the kataifi can go from perfectly toasted to burned very quickly, so be careful!
Step 2: Make the pistachio filling
Stir the pistachio cream, sesame oil or tahini, salt, and food coloring into the toasted kataifi until everything is well blended.
The filling should be evenly coated, rich, slightly sticky, and still crisp.
Step 3: Melt the chocolate
Microwave the chopped chocolate in short intervals, stirring well between each one, until smooth and melted.
For the prettiest finish and best snap, you can temper the chocolate, but the recipe is still delicious even if you skip that step.
Spoon a little melted chocolate into the bottom of each grease-proof cupcake liner, spreading it into an even layer and a bit up the sides.
Step 4: Add filling
Add a layer of the pistachio-kataifi filling, pressing lightly to flatten it.
Then top with more melted chocolate, gently tapping or swirling the cups to smooth the surface and remove air bubbles.
Step 5: Garnish and set
Finish with chopped pistachios and flaky sea salt, if desired. Let the chocolate set completely before serving.
Once firm, the cups should peel neatly from the liners and hold their shape beautifully.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Toast the kataifi over very low heat, keeping it moving constantly so it browns evenly without scorching.
- Use grease-proof cupcake liners if possible, since they release the chocolate more cleanly.
- Tap the cups lightly on the counter after adding the top chocolate layer to help remove trapped air bubbles.
- If you want a glossy finish and a clean snap, tempering the chocolate is worth the extra effort.
- Allow the cups to set fully before serving so the layers hold together neatly.
Dubai Chocolate Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 6 ounces kataifi, (shredded phyllo dough)
- 7 ounces pistachio cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, or substitute 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 drop green food coloring, (optional)
- 16 ounces chocolate, chopped
- pistachios, finely chopped (optional garnish)
- flaky sea salt, optional garnish
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over very low heat.
- Stir in the kataifi and continue to cook (stirring constantly) until toasty and fragrant (approx. 5 to 10 minutes).*
- Mix in the pistachio cream, sesame oil (or tahini), salt, and food coloring (if using), until blended.
- Melt the chocolate in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring until smooth.**
- Place about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate in the bottoms of each of 24 grease-proof cupcake liners, spreading it into an even layer and slightly up the sides.
- Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the kataifi filling over the chocolate, tapping it lightly to flatten.
- Place about 2 tablespoons of melted chocolate over the filling, spreading/tapping/swirling the cup to remove any air bubbles and level the chocolate.
- Garnish with chopped pistachios and flaky sea salt, if desired.
- Set aside and allow the chocolate to harden before serving.
