The internet's latest sweet obsession, the Dubai chocolate bar, has conquered global palates since its creation in the United Arab Emirates in 2022. Conceived by chocolatier Sarah Hamouda to satisfy a pregnancy craving for pistachio and pastry, this luxurious treat has sparked a worldwide frenzy. For those in the UK looking to craft an unforgettable homemade gift this Christmas, mastering this viral sensation is a guaranteed route to culinary acclaim.
The Heart of the Matter: Pistachios and Paste
The defining ingredient is, unequivocally, the pistachio. Its surge in popularity, dubbed "the new pumpkin spice" earlier this year, has even driven up global kernel prices. While many recipes suggest using a ready-made pistachio cream or 'crème', caution is advised. Some commercial pastes contain as little as 10% pistachio and are often artificially coloured.
For superior flavour and value, making your own paste is recommended, provided you have a food processor. Food writer Felicity Cloake, after testing numerous versions, advocates toasting the nuts first to enhance their nuttiness. A crucial but tedious step for the best visual result is skinning the toasted pistachios, which yields a vibrantly green filling. For texture, a coarsely ground paste is preferable to a completely smooth one, ensuring the nut's presence is felt as well as tasted.
Constructing the Perfect Bar: Crunch, Cream and Chocolate
The bar's signature crunch traditionally comes from kataifi pastry, a shredded filo-like dough used in Middle Eastern desserts like baklava. Toasted until golden and crisp, it provides the essential textural contrast. If kataifi is unavailable, roughly crushed cornflakes serve as a good substitute, outperforming chewier alternatives like Shredded Wheat.
To bind the dry elements into a creamy filling, a mixture of milk powder and icing sugar works best, offering richness without the water content that can soften the bar. A pinch of salt is essential to elevate the nutty flavour. The original bar includes tahini, but a neutral coconut oil can be used instead to keep the pistachio flavour pure and the filling firm.
For the chocolate coating, most recipes follow the original FIX bar by using milk chocolate. While dark chocolate is an option, a high cocoa percentage can overwhelm the delicate pistachio filling. Tempering the chocolate is optional; it creates a sharper snap and better stability at room temperature but isn't strictly necessary for the home cook focused on the interior.
Assembly and Festive Gifting Tips
The assembly involves creating a chocolate shell in a bar mould, filling it with the pistachio and kataifi mixture, and sealing it with more chocolate. For a decorative touch, a green-tinged white chocolate drizzle on top mimics professional styling. Alternatively, the mixture can be shaped into individual truffle-sized balls for a box of chocolates.
This lavish confection makes a superb Christmas present, though its relatively high cost, due to the price of pistachios, means it's a gift of indulgence rather than economy. As a final piece of advice for pet owners: ensure the finished bar is stored in a pet-proof box to avoid any festive emergencies.
The Dubai chocolate bar phenomenon proves that some viral trends are built on genuinely delicious foundations. With careful attention to the pistachio paste and the balance of textures, you can recreate this global hit in your own kitchen, delivering a taste of viral luxury under the tree.
