Dubai Chocolate Bar

Ingredients

• 150 g dried and chopped kataifi pastry
• 52 g unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
• 290 g sweet pistachio cream (not unsweetened pistachio paste or pistachio butter)
• 15 g tahini (1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 450 g good-quality dark or milk chocolate, finely chopped

Method

1. Make sure two deep silicone chocolate-bar moulds are completely clean and dry.
2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
3. Add the dried kataifi and cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until evenly golden brown and crisp. Remove it from the heat.
4. In a large bowl, mix the pistachio cream, tahini and salt until smooth and evenly combined.
5. Add the toasted kataifi to the pistachio mixture and stir until all the pastry is evenly coated. Set the filling aside.
6. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Alternatively, microwave it in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst. For a glossy finish and clean snap, temper the chocolate according to the manufacturer’s temperature guidance.
7. Pour most of the melted chocolate into the two moulds. Tilt and rotate each mould until its base and sides are completely coated.
8. Turn the moulds upside down over the chocolate bowl and gently shake out the excess. Scrape across the mould edges, then refrigerate briefly until the shells are firm.
9. Divide the pistachio-kataifi filling between the set chocolate shells. Press it carefully into the corners, leaving enough space at the top for a final chocolate layer.
10. If necessary, warm the remaining chocolate very gently until fluid. Spread it over the filling to seal both bars completely.
11. Scrape across the moulds with a bench scraper or spatula to create flat bases and clean edges.
12. Refrigerate only until completely set, then carefully remove the bars from the moulds.
13. Allow tempered bars to return to a cool room temperature before cutting each bar into approximately 8 pieces.