About This Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Tart
This Dubai chocolate pistachio tart is a homemade, showstopping dessert based on the viral chocolate bar!
The tart is made with a quick and easy press-in chocolate shortbread crust that requires no chilling or rolling out of the dough. This chocolate crust is then filled with crunchy, butter toasted kataifi (shredded phyllo dough), sweet pistachio cream, and dark chocolate ganache.
For more delicious and unique tart recipes on Hummingbird High, check out my Pies & Tarts Recipe Collection! Popular recipes include this Quick and Easy Rhubarb Custard Pie and this delicious Chocolate Chess Pie.
What is Dubai Chocolate?
In 2023, a Tiktok video of a girl eating a “Can’t Get Knafeh Of It” chocolate bar from FIX Dessert Chocolatier went VIRAL. The video showed her taking a loud, ASMR bite into a thick milk chocolate bar filled with crunchy phyllo dough and vibrant green pistachio cream.
Since then, this chocolate bar has been dubbed the “Dubai Chocolate Bar” and taken the world by storm. The internet has been flooded with recipes on how to make your own version at home (since sadly, FIX only sells the bar in Dubai), as well as other dessert recipes inspired by its flavors—like this tart!
You can read more about it in this New York Times article: “How Dubai Chocolate Took Over the World”.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Now that I’ve convinced you to make this unique tart recipe, let’s talk about key ingredients, where to find them, and any potential substitutions:
Common Ingredient Sources and Substitutions
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa powder will give the tart a dark brown, Oreo-ish color. In a pinch, you can use natural unsweetened cocoa powder—but your chocolate tart crust will come out a different color from mine!
- Espresso Powder. I recommend the espresso powder from King Arthur Baking Company. In a pinch, you can use instant coffee or espresso powder. You can also omit it completely from the recipe without affecting the tart’s flavor too much.
- Kosher Salt. In my cookbook, I argue that kosher salt is the best salt for baking recipes. But you can replace the kosher salt in the recipe with table salt. Just use half the amount called for in the recipe!
- Kataifi. Kataifi is the shredded phyllo dough that gives this Dubai chocolate pistachio tart its signature crunch. Typically, you can buy it dried or frozen at a Middle Eastern supermarket or online. I used Alkis dried kataifi from Amazon.
- Pistachios. Save yourself time by buying shelled pistachios. I recommend buying the raw variety for this recipe. You can easily buy a variety of brands online.
That being said, raw shelled pistachios can be hard to find in grocery stores. You can get away with using roasted or lightly salted. If you go this route, you might need to adjust the salt level of the pistachio kataifi filling.
- Pistachio Cream. I found a huge jar of Pisti Pistachio Cream at my local Costco. Doing so is what inspired this recipe! But you can also find smaller (but more expensive, ugh) jars online on Amazon. From their selection, I can also recommend the following brands: Il Colle Del Gusto Pistacchiosa and Vincente Sicilian Cream of Pistachio Nut Spread.
- Dark Chocolate. Don’t use chocolate chips for this recipe! Chocolate chips contain stabilizers and more milk solids to prevent them from melting. Use a baking bar or one of my recommended chocolate brands instead—learn more in The Best Chocolate For Baking Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Alkis Kataifi (Shredded Phyllo Dough)
This is the dried shredded phyllo dough I used for my Dubai chocolate pistachio tart! It’s a huge bag—you’ll likely have plenty leftover to make this recipe multiple times and experiment with other kataifi recipes!
What is pistachio cream?
Pistachio cream is similar to Nutella, but without the chocolate and made with pistachios instead of hazelnuts! However, don’t confuse it with nut butter. While nut butter tends to be made exclusively from nuts, pistachio cream contains other ingredients like sugar, milk powder, and olive oil. These ingredients give the cream an extra smooth and velvety texture.
For this recipe, it’s important to use pistachio cream and NOT pistachio butter. Pistachio butter, especially the homemade kind, will be a lot more chunky and have the texture of a natural chunky peanut butter. It also won’t be as sweet.
Pisti Pistachio Cream
This is the pistachio cream I used to make this Dubai chocolate pistachio tart. Although you can get it online, Costco also sells it for half the price! However, it’s a seasonal item and typically only available during the winter months.
Intrigued by the sound of pistachio cream but scared to commit to a big jar of it? Use any leftovers to make one of the most popular drink recipes on my site: Iced Pistachio Latte (A Fancy Starbucks Copycat).
How To Make The Tart (With Photos)
Now, check out photos of some key steps in the recipe. Use this section as a guide to help you achieve the right textures and colors when putting your Dubai chocolate pistachio tart together!
Making The Press-In Chocolate Shortbread Crust, Step-By-Step
Now Let’s Make The Crunchy, Creamy Pistachio Kataifi Filling
Finally, Top It All Off With Decadent Dark Chocolate Ganache
Best Recipe Tips
Prepping Your Ingredients
- The chocolate tart crust contains both confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder. Both these ingredients tend to get clumpy when stored for long periods of time. Although I don’t typically believe in sifting my ingredients (learn more in this article I wrote for Bon Appetit), I recommend doing so for this tart crust. Lumps show up in the dough!
- When prepping ingredients, I melt the butter first. That way, it has time to cool while I prep the rest of the ingredients!
Tips About The Chocolate Tart Crust
- For this recipe, it’s important to use a tart pan with a removable bottom (I used this one). The pastry is quite delicate, and you’ll likely end up cracking the tart crust into pieces if you bake it in a traditional pie pan and try to remove it.
- If you’ve never made a press-in tart crust before, it’s easy to accidentally use too much dough for the base and not leave enough for the sides. I recommend pressing the dough into the sides of the pan first—that way, you’ll make sure to have enough!
Troubleshooting The Ganache
- Ganache can sometimes “split” or “break”, meaning the fat in the chocolate separates to give the ganache an oily, separated appearance. This can happen when the ganache is stirred too quickly or at too low a temperature. So when whisking, aim for a slow but steady motion!
Decorating The Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Tart
- The original Dubai chocolate bar is decorated with green and yellow paint splatters. I melted white chocolate, dyed some of it a minty green, and splattered it across the tart top to recreate that look. But this is totally optional—your tart will taste delicious even without this decoration!
9-Inch Round Tart Pan with Loose Removable Bottom
For this recipe, it’s important to use a tart pan with a removable bottom. I recommend finding a pan that’s light in color (like this one). Light colored pans help prevent baked goods from overcooking!
Get the Recipe:
Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Tart (Complete With A Crunchy Kataifi Filling!)
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 1 (9-inch) tart
This Dubai chocolate pistachio tart is inspired by the viral chocolate with layers of crunchy, toasted kataifi filling; silky, velvety pistachio cream; and luscious, decadent chocolate ganache.
Prevent your screen from going dark
For The Press-In Chocolate Shortbread Tart Crust
For The Crunchy Pistachio Kataifi Filling
For the Chocolate Ganache
For The Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Tart
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First, make the chocolate shortbread tart crust. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Mix the dry ingredients for the tart crust. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt.
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Mix the wet ingredients, then add to the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter and vanilla.Pour the butter and vanilla over the dry ingredients, and use a rubber spatula to mix the ingredients until the dough forms, about 1 minute. Place the bowl on a wire rack and cool until the dough is still warm but can be handled, about 3 minutes.
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Press the dough into the pan to make the tart crust. Scoop around 1 to 2 Tablespoons of the dough into a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. Use a tart tamper or your hands to press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
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Bake the tart crust. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the crust looks matte and crisp. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling. The tart crust can be made 1 day before filling; store at room temperature, under a cake dome or a large bowl turned upside down.
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Next, make the crunchy pistachio kataifi filling. In a light-colored saucepan, melt the butter for the filling over medium heat. Add the kataifi, pistachios, and salt, using a turner or rubber spatula to coat the ingredients completely in the butter.Continue cooking over medium heat, continuously tossing the kataifi, until it turns a golden brown color.Remove from heat and immediately pour the kataifi into a medium bowl. Pour the pistachio cream over the kataifi and use a rubber spatula to coat it completely.
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Fill the tart crust with the filling. Scoop the pistachio kataifi filling into the cooled tart crust and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly and smooth the top.
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Make the ganache. Place the chocolate for the ganache in a small, heatproof bowl. In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook the cream over medium-high heat to just under a boil, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour over the chocolate, then place a dinner plate over the bowl to create a makeshift lid. Let sit, undisturbed, for 5 minutes.After 5 minutes, remove the plate. Whisk slowly but steadily until the ganache is thick, smooth, and shiny.
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Fill the tart crust with the ganache. Immediately pour the ganache over the pistachio kataifi filling in the tart crust. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly and smooth the top. Let the tart sit, uncovered and undisturbed, for at least 1 hour to allow the ganache to set and cool.
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Serve and store. Unmold the tart by setting the pan on top of a wide glass or mug and carefully pulling down the sides of the pan. Place the tart on a serving plate.Serve at room temperature. The tart can be store at room temperature, under a cake dome or a large bowl turned upside down, for up to 3 days.
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Weeknight Baking:
Recipes to Fit your Schedule
Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.
