BettyJBakes

                                                                    Dubai Chocolate is one of the hottest food trends right now!  It has gone viral!  Everywhere you go, whether it’s a store, supermarket, or department store, you see Dubai chocolate!  What is it?  Have you tried it?  I would say that you need to like pistachio flavor in order to like Dubai chocolate.  There is a definite pistachio flavor to Dubai chocolate.  It is being used now for baking just like you would use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, orange chocolate, or white chocolate. This chocolate comes from the Theobroma Cacao tree which means “Food of the Gods.”  70% of the world’s cocoa is grown in Africa.  Dubai has it’s own category in the chocolate world now.  It is a very thick chocolate bar featuring a creamy pistachio filling with a crunchy kataifi filling.  This chocolate bar gained global fame on TikTok in 2023.  This candy bar was invented because people were craving the taste of creamy pistachio with a crunchy kataifi filling.  This bar offers a variety of textures from creamy, to crunchy, and nutty.  The massive demand of this candy bar actually created a shortage of pistachios.  Free samples which were sent to influencers is what made this candy bar famous on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.  This candy bar is extremely high in calories so it is considered a luxury or a treat only enjoyed occasionally.  I know that every store I go into, there is a Dubai chocolate display whether it’s candy bars or some other chocolate treat which contains Dubai chocolate.  It is very expensive so I don’t think this something anyone would buy on a daily basis.  It is so expensive because of it’s premium imported ingredients and it’s intensive hand crafting in small batches.  It is produced in small batches so it has high quality standards.   It’s luxury branding often includes 24 karat gold which also adds to the high cost.  These bars are often hand poured, hand filled, and hand decorated.  The authentic original bars are produced in limited quantities which makes them exclusive and very hard to find.  

One of my favorite desserts is brownies!  Brownies are already chocolate based so why not not add another layer of flavor with the distinct taste of Dubai chocolate?  It fits right in with the already chocolatey goodness of brownies.  Dubai adds a nice crunchy texture and pistachio flavor to the brownies.  I hope you try this recipe!

Dubai Chocolate Brownie Recipe       

1. 1. Arrange an oven rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 325°. Spray a 9″ x 9″ baking dish with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on 2 opposite sides.

   2. In a large bowl, prepare brownie mix according to package instructions. Transfer to the prepared dish; smooth top.

   3. Bake brownies until a tester inserted into the center comes out with a couple moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool.

   4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add kataifi and cook, stirring often and reducing heat to medium-low if kataifi darkens too quickly, until deep golden in color, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat.

   5. Fold in tahini and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. pistachio cream. Let cool while brownies are baking and cooling. Spread kataifi mixture over cooled brownies.

   6. Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a medium pot over medium heat, heat cream until it begins to gently bubble around edges of pan. Pour over chocolate, let sit 2 minutes, then whisk until melted and smooth.

   7. ganache over kataifi mixture. Using a spoon, drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp. pistachio cream over ganache. Using a toothpick, create swirls throughout, trying not to disturb kataifi layer. Sprinkle with pistachios.

   8. Using parchment overhang, lift out brownies and transfer to a cutting board.  Cut into squares.

*******Storage:
Because there is cream in the ganache here, these can spoil quickly, so make sure to keep them in the fridge. They’ll keep in an airtight container in there for up to 5 days. *********

What do you think of Dubai Chocolate?  I wonder what the food world will come up with next for us to try especially in the chocolate world.  I am a true chocolate lover and you would classify me as a CHOCOHOLIC!  The only chocolate I don’t really care for is white chocolate.  In my mind, I don’t even think of white chocolate as chocolate.  To me, chocolate needs to be brown in color to be considered chocolate!  It needs to have that rich taste and texture.  I love nuts in chocolate and even raisins.  That makes me a lover of the candy bar “Chunky” and Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut candy bar.  Those are the best!  Dubai chocolate brings the nuts but you must enjoy pistachios.  I will be posting more recipes which include my love for chocolate.  I am also a coffee lover so I will be sharing some coffee based recipes as well!  Thank you for visiting my blog and have a great day!  Stay tuned for my next post!