Here at Sporked, we want to get to know you. So, we’ve put together a poll.
Have you heard of Dubai chocolate?
A) Yes
B) I’m a liar
That’s right, this creative confection has gone so viral recently that it feels like we can’t scroll for two seconds without landing on an ASMR of someone cracking a candy bar or walking past a bakery advertising their take on the trend. Even people who live under rocks say the moss on the rocks reminds them of a mix of pistachio and kadayif.
But for many, this sweet treat is like Keanu Reeves. We all know it, but how much do we really know about it? We have neither the resources nor the desire to air out Keanu’s private life (let the man live), but what we can do is give you the scoop on Dubai chocolate. Which might inspire you to get a scoop of Dubai chocolate. Because it’s now a frozen yogurt flavor. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
So, what is a Dubai chocolate bar? What’s in Dubai chocolate? And why is Dubai chocolate so expensive? Read on for all the answers to your questions.
What is Dubai chocolate?
Dubai chocolate is not just any chocolate that hails from Dubai. What sets it apart? What is in Dubai chocolate? The Dubai chocolate trifecta is based on a combination of kadayif (shredded phyllo, sometimes also referred to as knafeh), pistachio, and chocolate. The viral dessert started with a chocolate bar containing a cream filling of pistachios, finely chopped kadayif, and tahini paste, but the flavors have since been adapted to make lattes, ice cream, brownies…you get the idea.
What does Dubai chocolate taste like?
Although all of the characteristic components of Dubai chocolate are delicious on their own, this is definitely one of those “more than the sum of their parts” things. Part of what gets people hooked is the crunch of the kadayif, the smoothness, sweetness, and nuttiness of pistachio cream, and the richness of chocolate. Since everyone and their mother seems to have their own take on it, the nuances will vary from maker to maker but the general consensus is “ding dang delicious.”
Who started the Dubai chocolate trend?
The origin of the craze can really be traced to two sources: the maker and the influencer. The bars were created in 2021 by Sarah Hamouda, a British-Egyptian living in Dubai, when her pregnancy craving inspired the combination of flavors. Hamouda was not even originally a chocolatier, but an engineer. So, this #WomanInSTEM changed the dessert game while growing life inside of her? Get wrecked, Wonka.
But the catalyst of the candy’s huge success was none other than TikTok. The bar wasn’t instantly successful, but Hamouda sold her product to an influencer named Maria Vehera, who posted a video of herself trying Dubai chocolate. It went viral in late 2023, and now has upwards of 122 million views.
Why is Dubai chocolate so expensive?
It’s not unnatural to raise your eyebrows when a single Dubai chocolate bar regularly costs about $20. Aside from the rising cost of ingredients, pistachios in general are not cheap, and the chocolate bars are just a whole lot of work.
In The Guardian, Alon Chen, chief executive of food trend analysts Tastewise, explained, “Dubai chocolate cannot be made at large scale. Why? Because the knafeh is very crispy and fragile, and it takes a lot of technology on a large production line to be able to cover the knafeh and add the cream, and still keep the crunchiness. Without the crunchiness, it’s just another pistachio-flavored chocolate bar.” Factor in that many places also include add-ins like rose water or cardamom, and that bumps the price even more.
Where to buy Dubai chocolate?
The original Dubai chocolate bar is still only available in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, but there’s no shortage of bakers and confectioners doing their take on the flavor. Some of the big box stores have also come to play. Lidl launched its own version of the chocolate bar at the end of March, Lindt hopped on the bandwagon at the end of 2024, Costco started cranking out ice cream in April, the list goes on and on.
