At-Home Decadent Dubai Chocolate Bar Recipe

Oozing with opulence and pistachio cream, Dubai chocolate bars have taken social media by storm, with over-the-top recipes popping up on feeds worldwide. Crunchy, nutty, and sometimes even adorned with edible gold leaf, these indulgent bars typically feature a dark or milk chocolate shell filled with pistachio cream, crispy kataifi (finely shredded phyllo dough), and tahini. The result is a decadently rich chocolate bar that has gone viral for good reason — it's both luxurious and uniquely delicious.

Originally crafted by Fix Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai, these bars are only available for local delivery. It's no wonder recipes to recreate them at home have surged in popularity. Recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse tells us, "I first came across these bars a few months ago, and was immediately enamored with them. The ingredients to make them can be a bit expensive and hard to find, so I wanted to create a recipe that's easy to execute at home." And that she did — not only does this recipe require a relatively minimal ingredient list, but it's straightforward so even beginner chefs can whip up these bars with ease.

You can get creative when making Dubai chocolate bars. The first step is choosing your chocolate. Rosenhouse opted for dark chocolate, but feel free to use milk, bittersweet, or even white chocolate for the outer layer. The filling is a combination of kataifi (shredded phyllo dough) and pistachio cream. Your local supermarket may or may not carry kataifi, but luckily you can also order versions like this one online for quick delivery. The same goes for pistachio cream — you might find it at the supermarket (although it may cost a pretty penny), but a recipe for a homemade version using whole milk, butter, sugar, white chocolate, shelled pistachios, and kosher salt is an easy alternative. Adding a drop or two of green food coloring is optional, but it can give your pistachio cream that signature vibrant hue. The kataifi is toasted in butter until golden and crispy before being mixed with the pistachio cream, salt, and tahini for extra nutty richness. Feel free to increase the quantity of pistachio cream and/or tahini to taste, and for an even gooier result.

Decorating the bars is where you can add your own personal flair. Whether you drizzle the unmolded bars with white or dark chocolate, green candy melts, or add on a sprinkle of chopped pistachios, flaky sea salt, or gold leaf, opulence is the goal.

Prepare the pistachio cream: In a small pot, heat 2 tablespoons milk, butter, sugar, and white chocolate over medium heat, whisking until smooth.

In a blender or small food processor, process pistachios until finely ground.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons milk and blend to combine.

To the pistachios in the food processor, add the white chocolate mixture, salt, and green food coloring, if desired. Blend until smooth, scraping down as needed, then set aside.

Prepare the chocolate bars: In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat to melt.

Add the kataifi, and cook, stirring, until toasted and golden brown.

Transfer the toasted kataifi to a large bowl and set aside.

In a microwave or double boiler, melt the dark chocolate ⅔ of the way, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir until completely melted.

Fill chocolate molds with melted chocolate. (This recipe makes four large bars, so you may or may not need to work in batches depending on the size of your molds.)

Lift mold upside down over bowl of melted chocolate to let excess drip out. Clean up sides with an offset spatula or spoon.

Freeze until firm.

Add pistachio cream, tahini, and salt to the bowl with the kataifi. Stir gently to combine.

Press to fill the chilled chocolate bar molds with kataifi mixture, leaving ⅛-inch gap at the top.

Top with additional melted chocolate to coat.

Freeze until very firm, at least 20 minutes.

Remove bars from molds, garnish as desired with gold leaf, chocolate drizzle, chopped pistachios, or flaky salt, and serve.

There's a reason these bars cost so much, and it isn't just the cost of the ingredients involved in making these over-the-top confections. The process of making Dubai chocolate bars is a somewhat involved one with many steps, so there are certain precautions to take to ensure that your hard work doesn't go to waste. The first thing you'll need to make Dubai chocolate bars is a deep mold, providing enough space for the rich filling and sturdy chocolate coating. When melting the chocolate for the exterior, tempering the chocolate is key. 

Tempering is a process where chocolate is melted then cooled and agitated so that it has the proper snap and shine when set. A simple way to temper is by melting the chocolate only ⅔ of the way, then removing from the heat and stirring to melt the rest. It's also essential to let the first layer of chocolate fully set in the molds completely before adding the filling to keep everything in place (and your coating intact). After applying the final layer of chocolate, freeze the bars until completely firm to ensure easy unmolding. If the filling isn't set, your bars may crack or break when you try to remove them from the molds.

While it's easy enough to order chocolate molds online, we get it — you're already shelling out for some pretty pricey ingredients for these bars, so the mold might feel like too much. If you do plan on making these bars often (which we think you will), it might be worth investing in reliable chocolate molds. 

If you don't want to buy molds, the good news is you can still make these chocolate bars, they just won't look quite as pretty. To do so, spread your first layer of chocolate into a parchment lined 9x13-inch baking pan, lined muffin cups, mini muffin cups, candy molds, silicone ice cube trays, or even plastic food storage containers. Fill and top as directed, then freeze until firm before unmolding. If using a baking pan or another large vessel, let the chocolate soften slightly at room temperature, then use a sharp knife dipped in hot water (and wiped dry) to cut into bars or squares.