Dubai Chocolate

Dubai chocolate for bakeries

A bakery-scale Dubai chocolate bar recipe with pistachio cream and toasted kataifi, plus the chocolate, pistachio and kataifi you need in bulk and wholesale sizes.

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What you are making

Three things to know before the recipe.

A filled chocolate bar

Dubai-style chocolate is a thick chocolate bar with a center of pistachio cream mixed with toasted kataifi, the shredded pastry used for knafeh. Many versions add a spoonful of tahini.

The crunch is the point

Break the bar open to reveal the green filling and crisp pastry strands. Well-toasted kataifi and a thick filling give the bar its contrasting textures.

Built for your bakery

Start with pistachio filling, roasted kataifi and couverture chocolate. Adjust the filling and mold size in a small test batch before scaling production.

Dubai chocolate bar recipe

A starting formula yielding approximately 1.01 kg of filling without tahini or 1.04 kg with tahini, before salt. Bar yield depends on your mold and filling weight. Scale by weight and test a small batch first.

Pistachio kataifi filling

Chocolate shell

Chocolate required varies with mold size, shell thickness and working excess. For a less sweet bar, blend in up to one third dark couverture.

  1. Prepare the kataifi. Chop the roasted kataifi into short pieces and toss with the melted clarified butter. It is already roasted, so avoid cooking it again to a deep golden color. If using raw kataifi instead, toast it with the butter in a wide pan over medium heat until golden and crisp. Spread on a tray and cool completely.
  2. Mix the filling. Stir the Master Martini pistachio filling, pistachio paste, tahini and salt together, then fold in the cooled kataifi. The filling should hold together and still crunch.
  3. Temper the chocolate. Melt and temper the milk couverture following the tempering curve on the manufacturer's label. Tempered chocolate gives the bar its snap and shine and releases cleanly from the mold.
  4. Make the shells. Fill the bar molds with chocolate, tap out the air, turn the molds over to drain, and scrape the edges clean. Let the shells set.
  5. Fill. Press the filling into each shell, leaving a few millimeters at the top for the cap. Level it with an offset spatula.
  6. Cap and set. Pour tempered chocolate over the filling, scrape the mold flat, and let the bars set fully before unmolding.
  7. Pack and sell fresh. Wrap or box the bars and store them in a cool, dry place. The kataifi can soften in the filling, so test texture over time and make small batches.

Dubai chocolate ingredients in bulk and wholesale sizes

Kataifi, pistachio and couverture chocolate in the case sizes bakeries and chocolate shops order. Check each product page for current pricing and availability.

See all pistachio products

Finishing the bar

The look customers expect from a Dubai chocolate bar.

Before making the shells, splash or brush the inside of the molds with green and gold tinted cocoa butter or a little colored white chocolate for the painted look. Once the bars are unmolded, a drizzle of chocolate and a sprinkle of chopped pistachios on top tells customers what is inside. For display, cut one bar in half so the green, crunchy center shows.

Four ways to sell it

Same filling, different tickets.

Full-size bars

The classic. A thick bar with a generous layer of filling, wrapped or boxed for gifting.

Bites and bonbons

Use small molds for single bites. Easy to sample at the counter and sell by the box.

Dessert cups

Layer the filling with chocolate and fresh strawberries in clear cups. Treat fresh-fruit cups as a separate refrigerated product, not as shelf-stable chocolate bars.

Pistachio kataifi toppings

Spread the filling on brownies, cookies or cake layers and top with chocolate for a Dubai chocolate version of your best sellers.

Dubai chocolate questions

What bakers ask before adding it to the menu.

What is Dubai chocolate?

Dubai-style chocolate is a thick chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream and crunchy toasted kataifi, the shredded pastry used for knafeh. Many versions also add a little tahini to the filling.

Which chocolate should I use for the shell?

Milk couverture makes a classic shell. For a less sweet version, try blending in dark couverture. Follow the manufacturer's tempering instructions for the chocolate you choose.

What is kataifi, and do I need to toast it?

Kataifi is finely shredded pastry used in knafeh. Raw kataifi needs toasting before mixing into the filling. The Kontos product linked here is already roasted and supplied in 2 x 10 lb cases, so it does not need the same deep-toasting step.

Can I use pistachio paste instead of pistachio cream?

Pistachio paste and pistachio cream are not always interchangeable. Formulas and sweetness vary by product. This starting recipe uses paste alongside a prepared pistachio filling for extra flavor. Check the product specifications and test your blend before scaling.

How do I keep the filling crunchy?

Start with crisp kataifi, let it cool completely before mixing, and keep the filling on the thick side. Texture can change as the filling sits, so test your finished bars over time and make small batches.

Can I buy Dubai chocolate ingredients wholesale?

Yes. Bakers Authority sells roasted kataifi, pistachio fillings and pastes, shelled pistachios, and milk and dark couverture chocolate in bulk and wholesale sizes. The products are listed in the ingredient section of this page.

Ready to make Dubai chocolate

Kataifi, pistachio filling and couverture are the three things you cannot run out of. Order them in bulk and wholesale quantities and keep the bars coming.

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