Dubai chocolate trend: How to recreate it at home

Many of you have likely seen videos showcasing the challenge of making Dubai chocolate. Recreating the recipe for this delicacy is a new viral trend on social media. The puzzling part is one ingredient that looks like angel hair pasta. This is kataifi pastry, a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine and the base for many desserts. It is not always available in Canadian stores, but it can be easily substituted.

Kataifi pastry is not shredded phyllo dough. While related, they are not the same. Kataifi pastry (or kadayif) is made from a thin batter (a mix of flour and water) that is poured through spouts onto a heated metal plate, creating long thin strands that quickly cook and dry, turning into characteristic "angel hair". Phyllo dough, on the other hand, is stretched and rolled into paper-thin sheets and made from flour, olive oil, water, and salt. It's worth noting that kataifi pastry is crunchier after baking compared to phyllo dough.

Lately, the recipe for Dubai chocolate filled with crunchy kataifi strands has become particularly popular. You can substitute these with phyllo dough, but you'll need to cut it into very thin strips first. You could also try a version with puff pastry. However, in this case, you must roll the dough out as thin as possible (as thin as a sheet of paper) and then cut it into very thin strips.

Ingredients:

• 455 g of milk or dark chocolate,
• 140 g of phyllo dough,
• 40 g of butter,
• 80 g of pistachio cream (recipe for homemade pistachio cream).

Preparation:

1. Chop the chocolate. Melt half of it in a double boiler, ensuring the chocolate does not overheat.
2. Spread the melted chocolate on the bottom and sides of the prepared mold.
3. Place the mold with chocolate in the refrigerator to set.
4. Cut the phyllo dough into very thin strips and then carefully chop to finely shred it. Separate the strips with your hands.
5. Transfer the dough to a pan and fry, stirring constantly, until it starts to change colour. Then add butter and continue frying until the phyllo strips are brown and crispy.
6. Transfer the crispy phyllo dough to a bowl and mix with pistachio cream.
7. Place the prepared filling on the set chocolate.
8. Melt the remaining chocolate in a double boiler and pour it over the layer of pistachio cream and phyllo dough.
9. Place the Dubai chocolate in the refrigerator to set.

Enjoy this delightful treat that brings a taste of the Middle East to your kitchen. Remember, patience and precision are key in recreating this dessert.