Incredibly gooey and crunchy, Dubai Chocolate is comprised of chocolate filled with pistachio cream and crispy kataifi pastry or shredded phyllo dough, topped off with tahini paste. No matter where you go, people are ordering it in droves and talking about it. So, what’s the fuss all about?
How it All Started
Dubai Chocolate was invented accidentally; it was initially meant to satiate a pregnancy craving. The creator, Sarah Hamouda, was dreaming up a chocolate bar with knafeh, which is a popular Middle Eastern dessert made with shredded phyllo pastry and filled with sweet syrup. She wanted the chocolate also to be filled with silky pistachio cream. Once she satisfied her pregnancy craving, little did Sarah realize that her creation would take the world by storm.
Originally from Egypt, Sarah Hamouda’s creation began trending on social media platforms, and the name Dubai Chocolate went viral on TikTok. A TikTok influencer called Maria Vehera posted a video of herself devouring a chocolate bar inside her car in December 2023. Soon afterwards, the video went viral and received over 125 million views, with millions of fans from around the world eager to grab a bite. The chocolate was promptly called “Dubai Chocolate.”
Dubai Chocolate was launched in 2022 by the Dubai-based FIX Dessert Chocolatier. The name FIX stands for Freaking Incredible Experience; the chocolatier is owned by British Egyptian creator Sarah Hamouda and her husband. Before the viral TikTok, Mrs. Hamouda and her husband said that they were selling a chocolate bar a week. After the viral TikTok video, they were getting 30,000 orders a week, and the delivery app they created for their chocolatier crashed.
Dubai Chocolate also took on a new name, which is “Can’t Get Knafeh of it.” The bar became a craze, with many renowned chocolate manufacturer brands, such as Lindt and Ülker, mimicking the original recipe to produce their own versions.
Where Can You Find Dubai Chocolate?
No matter where you are in the world, you can’t escape the allure of Dubai Chocolate. From airports around the globe to neighborhood bodegas in New York or a grocery shop in Milan, you are bound to find it. You will also come across it in counters of Istanbul’s sweet shops, along with the packed aisles of London’s Lidl and Aldi stores, or even in Mumbai’s flea markets.
As global demand for Dubai chocolate surges, the team at the FIX chocolatier has grown. While Mrs. Hamouda and her husband are glad about the hype it is getting, they aren’t enthralled by the fact that many big companies are emulating their creations; nevertheless, they love it when small business owners and home cooks embrace their recipe and do their own takes on the all-time favourite Dubai Chocolate.
Even brand-name Swiss chocolatiers have fallen prey to the Dubai Chocolate craze. Lindt, the Swiss chocolate producer, created a limited-time version of the all-time favorite Dubai Chocolate, releasing around 300 bars, and they all sold out within a day.
What’s the Secret Behind Its Success?
The real success behind Dubai Chocolate lies in the fact that it combines a well-known dessert with a chocolate bar. Another interesting aspect that captivates people is its texture. Its velvety, gooey texture, topped with tahini paste and pistachios, not only feels and tastes good on the palate but is also visually appealing. Moreover, the crunchy taste of the knafeh makes it more irresistible.
All the hype behind Dubai chocolate hasn’t stopped Sarah Hamouda and her husband from expanding their creations. Most recently, at their FIX chocolatier, they have come up with another creation, a chocolate bar made with caramelized pecans and cookies, which they are calling “Catch Me if Pecan.”
David Messiha | Staff Writer
