DUBAI CHOCOLATE BARS
Brett Hawkins
6
25 minutes
15 minutes
DESSERTS
A thick chocolate shell wrapped around a center of buttered kataifi and pistachio cream. The shredded pastry toasts in butter until it snaps, then gets folded into Master Martini Pistachio Filling, which carries pistachio grain of its own for a second layer of texture. A spoonful of tahini cuts the sweetness and brings the sesame note that sits behind the pistachio. No oven time once the kataifi comes out of the pan.
Ingredients
Shell:
- 600 g dark or milk couverture chocolate, divided
- 30 g white chocolate, optional, for decorating the molds
Filling:
- 200 g kataifi pastry, thawed if frozen and chopped into short lengths
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 350 g Master Martini Pistachio Filling 5 KG, at room temperature
- 25 g tahini, stirred smooth
- 1 g fine salt
Directions
- Wipe the bar molds clean and dry them completely. Any moisture will dull the finish and keep the bars from releasing.
- If decorating, melt the white chocolate, streak or dot it into the cavities, and let it set before the shell goes in.
- Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium low heat. Add the kataifi and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until every strand turns deep golden and crisp. Work in two batches if the pan looks crowded. Spread on a tray and cool completely.
- Stir the pistachio filling, tahini, and salt together in a bowl. Fold in the cooled kataifi until the strands are coated. The mixture should hold its shape on a spoon.
- Temper the couverture to the manufacturer’s curve. Spoon it into the cavities, tilt and spread to coat the bottom and walls about 3 mm thick, tap out the air bubbles, and pour off the excess. Let the shells set and keep the remaining chocolate at working temperature for the backing.
- Press the filling into the shells, pushing it into the corners and leaving about 3 mm of headroom. Scrape the mold face clean so the backing can seal to the rim.
- Spread the reserved chocolate over the filling and scrape the surface flat with a bench scraper.
- Set the molds in a cool room until the bars contract and look dull against the plastic, about 30 to 45 minutes. A short 10 minute chill helps if the kitchen runs warm. Turn the molds over and release.
