How To Make Viral Dubai Chocolate That Recently Had Germans Lining Up Outside Store For Hours

Dubai Chocolate is prepared with a delightful blend of chocolates, pistachio cream, and knafeh - a Middle Eastern crispy pastry that gained significant attention this year, and has taken the internet by storm once again.  

Recently, in Germany a Swiss chocolate company featured the viral Dubai Chocolate in their store, drawing long lines of eager customers. As reported by AP, “Hundreds of curious shoppers, some equipped with camping stools and rain gear, lined up for hours on a drizzly Thursday in the western German city of Aachen.”

Craving a taste of the viral Dubai Chocolate yourself? We don’t want you to miss out! Hence, we’re sharing the recipe that captivated the internet this year. Scroll down for all the details!

This recipe was originally created by Sarah Hamouda, founder of FIX Dessert Chocolatier.

Viral Dubai Chocolate Recipe

Preparation time: 20 minutes plus setting time
Cooking time: 18 minutes
Makes 2x500g/1.1lb large chocolate bars

Ingredients to make the viral Dubai Chocolate

• 150g/5ozs knafeh 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

Directions to prepare the viral Dubai Chocolate

When one side is browned and toasted, flip over to toast the knafeh all over

Step 1 - First make the knafeh 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 knafeh 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 knafeh pastry breaking it up as you add it in. Toast the knafeh 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 knafeh.

Mixing the toasted knafeh with the pistachio paste, tahini and salt

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. They 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.

Splashes of pink and green chocolate

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 make 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.

Finishing with chocolate

Step 4 - Spoon in the knafeh 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!

(An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott)