The viral chocolate bar ‘Can’t Get Knafeh of It’ by Fix Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai, has hit the world by storm. I’m thrilled to share my homemade version of this decadent chocolate bar with crunchy Kataifi pastry and creamy homemade pistachio cream. It’s worth all the effort and all the hype.

Melted Chocolate beig poured ito a mold for the viral Dubak chocolate bar recipe with pistachio cream and Kataifi

When I first saw the viral chocolate bar all over social media, I knew I had to recreate it at home. It was my first time making a chocolate bar from scratch, and I was determined to nail every element—from the tempered chocolate shell to the filling that perfectly balances crunch and creaminess.

This indulgent treat lived up to the hype with careful preparation and sourcing of the right ingredients! It took weeks to get all the elements together and I now cannot wait to make more decadent chocolate bars.

Let me walk you through how you can create this show-stopping dessert, step by step.

What You Will Need to Make Viral Dubai Knafeh Pistachio Chocolate Bar

Pistachio Crème

Living in South Africa, I couldn’t find pistachio crème in a jar, so I decided to make my own. If you’re in a similar situation, it’s pretty simple to do!

You’ll need raw pistachios, tahini, and white chocolate. Using a powerful blender, you can create a luscious pistachio butter that serves as the base for the crème. Then, with the addition of melted white chocolate, you’ll have the smooth, nutty pistachio crème ready to go.

I sourced my pistachios from an amazing local supplier in Upington. They are currently not in season. but it’s a good idea to buy them when they are and store them in the freezer. Senqu River Pistachios.

Knafeh or Kataifi

Knafeh is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made from shredded filo pastry, soaked in a sweet sugar syrup, and layered with soft cheese or cream. It’s often baked until crispy and golden, then garnished with crushed nuts, like pistachios, and flavoured with rose or orange blossom water.

For some reason, social media and perhaps the producers of the original chocolate in Dubai called it the Dubal Knafeh pistachio chocolate bar. From what I can gather, kataifi is referred to as kanfeh or kunafa by Middle Easterners.

Kataifi is the string-like pastry (not shredded phyllo) that is used in this chocolate bar. I found it at The Olive Branch Deli on Kloof Street. Mediterranean Delicacies locally make it.

It might take a while to get the pastry golden and crispy in the pan, but trust me, it’s worth the effort.

High-Quality Chocolate

For this recipe, I recommend using good-quality couverture chocolate. I opted for Lindt, as it has the perfect balance of milk and dark chocolate, but feel free to experiment with your favourite brands.

You’ll temper the chocolate to achieve that glossy finish and satisfying snap when you bite into the bar.

Chopping chocolate to make the viral Dubai chocolate bar

How to Make Viral Dubai Knafeh Pistachio Chocolate Bar

Step 1: Make the Pistachio Crème

Start by blending 500 grams of raw pistachios in a powerful blender until they turn into a thick paste. Add 2 tablespoons of tahini to help smooth out the mixture. After five minutes of blending and scraping down the sides, you should have a thick pistachio butter.

Once you have a nut butter consistency, add 80–100 grams of melted white chocolate to create a creamy pistachio crème. It should have a runny, a bit like Nutella.

Making pistachio cream for the Dubai Kafeh chocolate bar recipe

Step 2: Prepare the Kataifi Filling

Melt 2–3 tablespoons of butter in a non-stick pan, then add approximately 2 cups of shredded pastry – I cut it about 1 cm in length. Fry until it’s golden brown and crispy. This process might take a few minutes, so be patient! Once it’s crispy, transfer it to a bowl and mix in about 60 – 80 ml of pistachio crème until you have a thick, textured filling.

You can add more or less of the pistachio cream to make the filling crunchier or softer.

Browning the kataifi pastry in a frying pan with butter for the Dubai chocolate bar recipe

Step 3: Temper the Chocolate

Tempering chocolate can seem intimidating, but I used a simple microwave method that worked like a charm. See in detail below how I did it in a microwave. Make sure to use a microwave-safe plastic bowl. Plastic does not carry heat and will therefore not overheat the chocolate.

Tempering chocolate for the viral Dubai chocolate bar with Knafeh recipe

Step 4: Assemble the Chocolate Bar

With your tempered chocolate ready, pour it into your silicone mould and twist it to coat the sides evenly. Pour off any excess chocolate and place the mould in the fridge or freezer to set.

Once the chocolate shell is solid, fill it with your knafeh and pistachio crème mixture.

Press the filling into all the corners to ensure an even distribution. Top it off with another layer of melted chocolate, spreading it evenly to seal the bar. Return the mould to the fridge to let everything set.

Making the viral Dubai Chocolate bar recipe

How to Temper Chocolate in the Microwave

Tempering chocolate in the microwave is the easiest way to ensure your chocolate has that signature glossy finish and crisp snap when broken. Here’s a quick guide on how to do it right:

Chop your chocolate into small, even pieces.
Microwave in short bursts: Heat the chocolate in a microwave-safe plastic bowl for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until most of the chocolate has melted.
Let residual heat do the work: Once the chocolate is almost melted, remove it from the microwave and continue stirring until all the chocolate has melted smoothly.
Check the temperature: For milk chocolate, aim for 88–90°F (31–32°C), and dark chocolate, aim for 113–115°F (45–46°C). Be careful not to overheat!

Once tempered, your chocolate will have a shiny finish and a satisfying snap, perfect for coating your chocolate bar.

Now that I know how to make kataifi pistachio cream I can’t wait to play around making various other desserts I have seen. Including stuffed croissants, brownies, and mini chocolates.

A few other recipes you might like

My best chocolate recipes

Lemon pistachio cupcakes with honey meringue

Rose meringues with pistachios

Prep Time:30

Ingredients

Pistachio Crème (This makes more than you will need):

500 grams raw pistachios with skin on
2 Tbsp good-quality tahini
80- 100 grams white chocolate melted

Kunefe Filling:

1.5 cups shredded Kataifi pastry cut from a block of partially thawed kataifi pastry
2-3 Tbps salted butter

Chocolate:

300 grams of good-quality milk chocolate or dark chocolate, or a combination of both

Instructions

Make the Pistachio Crème:

Place the pistachios in a powerful blender and blend until a thick paste forms. This will take at least 5 minutes, so be patient.
Add the tahini and continue blending until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Be sure to stop and scrape down the sides as needed. If your blender has a tamper, use it to keep the mixture moving.
Once smooth, pour in the melted white chocolate and blend again until the mixture reaches the consistency of Nutella. The crème should be runny enough to pour into a jar.

Prepare the Knafeh/kataifi Filling:

Melt the butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
Add the shredded kataifi and fry it, stirring constantly, until it turns golden brown and crunchy. This can take a few minutes, so keep turning it to ensure it browns evenly.
Once the katiafi is crispy, transfer it to a bowl. Mix in about 80 ml (1/3 cup) of the pistachio crème, adding a little at a time until you have a thick, paste-like consistency. You can adjust the amount of pistachio crème to your preference—add more if you like it creamier, or less if you prefer a crunchier texture.

Temper the Chocolate:

Chop the chocolate into small, even pieces and place them in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each round, until most of the chocolate has melted. Be careful not to overheat it—stop once most of the chocolate is melted and let the residual heat finish melting the rest.
Stir the chocolate until completely smooth. The chocolate should have a shiny finish and be at the right temperature for tempering (about 88–90°F for milk chocolate, and 113–115°F for dark chocolate).

Assemble the Chocolate Bar:

Pour a layer of the tempered chocolate into your silicone mould, twisting the mould to ensure the sides are evenly coated. Pour off any excess chocolate.
Place the mould in the fridge or freezer to allow the chocolate to set.
Once set, add the knafeh and pistachio crème filling, pressing it into the corners to create an even layer.
Pour the remaining melted chocolate over the filling to seal the bar. Spread it evenly to ensure a smooth top.
Place the mould back into the fridge to set it completely before removing your chocolate bar.