How to Make Dubai Chocolate Bars (Pistachio & Kataifi) — Bakery Recipe

“Dubai chocolate” — a thick milk chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream and crunchy toasted kataifi (shredded phyllo) — became one of the most searched desserts in Canada. Bakeries, cafés and chocolatiers sell it as bars, cups, cookies and croissant fillings. Here is a reliable production recipe.

Ingredients (makes about 8 bars, 100 g each)

• 500 g Callebaut 823 milk chocolate callets (or 811 dark for a darker shell)
• 200 g pistachio paste — Callebaut pistachio paste, Fabbri pure pistachio or Luscioux toasted pistachio paste
• 150 g pistachio cream — e.g. Sicilian pistachio cream — or a ready kunafa pistachio filling
• 150 g kataifi (shredded phyllo dough)
• 40 g unsalted butter, a pinch of salt
• Optional: 30 g white chocolate (W2) and green fat-soluble colour for the decorative splash

Method

1. Toast the kataifi. Chop it into 1–2 cm pieces and toast in the butter over medium heat, stirring, until deep golden (8–10 minutes). Cool completely — warm kataifi turns soggy.
2. Make the filling. Mix the pistachio paste, pistachio cream and salt, then fold in the cooled kataifi. The filling should hold together but stay crunchy.
3. Temper the chocolate. For 823: melt to 45–50 °C, cool to 26–27 °C, then work at 29–30 °C. Callets make seeding easy.
4. Shell the moulds. Fill bar moulds with chocolate, tap, invert to drain and scrape. Set 10 minutes in the fridge.
5. Fill and seal. Pipe or press the filling to 3 mm below the rim, cap with tempered chocolate, scrape flat and set 20–30 minutes at 15–18 °C.
6. Unmould and wrap. Store at 15–18 °C, away from humidity.

Production tips

• Use pure pistachio paste for colour and flavour, and pistachio cream for a softer, spreadable filling — a 60:40 mix works well.
• Keep the kataifi ratio high (about 30% of the filling) — the crunch is what customers expect.
• For cups and cookies, use the same filling with Crispearls on top for extra crunch.
• Cost control: buy chocolate in 10 kg boxes and pistachio paste in tins or cases.

Where to buy Dubai chocolate ingredients in Canada

Beta Shop ships Callebaut chocolate, pistachio pastes, pistachio creams and kunafa filling from Toronto to every Canadian postal code. See our pistachio & kunafa favourites and the Callebaut chocolate guide.

FAQ

Which chocolate is best for Dubai chocolate?

Most bakers use a milk couverture such as Callebaut 823 for the classic version, or 811 dark for a less sweet bar.

What is kataifi?

Kataifi (kadayif) is finely shredded phyllo dough. Toasted in butter, it gives Dubai chocolate its crunch.

Can I use pistachio cream instead of paste?

Yes, but the filling will be sweeter and softer. Mixing both gives the best balance.