Dubai Chocolate & Strawberry

5 from 2 votes

This Dubai chocolate strawberry dessert combines the famous Dubai chocolate with fresh, juicy strawberries to create the ultimate, easy dessert.

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Dubai

Servings:

Author: Margie Nomura

Ingredients

21 oz fresh strawberries hulled and halved (about 4 cups)
5.3 oz milk chocolate chopped
7 oz pistachio cream (pistachio spread)
3.5 oz kataifi (shredded phyllo dough) thawed if frozen
2 tbsp butter
Slivered pistachios for topping

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Wash and hull the strawberries, then slice them in half. Set aside.
Cut the kataifi into 1-inch (3 cm) pieces. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add the kataifi to the pan and toast, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn, until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the pistachio cream to the toasted kataifi and mix until combined.
Break the chocolate into squares and add to a heatproof bowl. Melt in short bursts in the microwave at low power, or over a double boiler, until smooth.
Add a layer of strawberries to 4 medium glasses. Top with some of the pistachio kataifi mixture and drizzle with melted chocolate. Repeat the layers, then finish with slivered pistachios.

Video

Notes

Make-ahead and storage

To store: Assembled Dubai chocolate strawberry cups are best eaten fresh, as the chocolate and pistachio cream harden when they are placed in the fridge.

Make ahead: You can toast the kataifi up to 3 days in advance. Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. You can mix it with the pistachio cream a day in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge. It will firm up but will loosen once brought back to room temperature (the microwave can speed this along). The strawberries can be prepped a day ahead; just make sure they are nice and dry before storing in an airtight container in the fridge.

More quick tips

Easy mixing: If it’s a cold day, the pistachio cream may be very firm. If this is the case, melt it briefly in the microwave so it softens. This will ensure easy mixing with the kataifi without crushing it all.
Add tahini: Add 2 tbsp tahini to the pistachio cream for a nutty note.
Add white chocolate: I like to add a little (about 1.8 oz / 50 g) melted white chocolate to the pistachio cream – it sweetens it a bit and adds a subtle vanilla note.
Swap milk chocolate: You can swap for white or dark chocolate if you prefer.

Nutrition