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Wales Online
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
'I tried M&S' viral pistachio chocolate bar - the epic twist floored me'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info I've been on a quest to find a Dubai chocolate bar in the UK for some time now, but to no avail. If you're an avid social media user, you've likely come across this Middle Eastern-inspired chocolate trend. For those unfamiliar, it's a chocolate bar filled with kadayif (a type of shredded filo pastry) and pistachio cream. In the UK, Dubai chocolate is currently the top trending food and drink hashtag on TikTok, with online searches skyrocketing by 80%. I had the chance to try it once while travelling, but since then, it's remained elusive. So, when I heard that Marks and Spencer were launching their own version, I was eager to give it a go. Back in 2024, M&S's Big Daddy, a peanut and caramel-filled chocolate bar, was touted as the UK's answer to the viral Dubai chocolate. Now, they've released a version that's even closer to the original - the Big Daddy Pistachio bar. (Image: Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz) With a £8.50 price tag, the Big Daddy 2.0 isn't a far cry away from what most retailers are charging for their own Dubai chocolate bars. But of course, this is still quite a bit to fork out on a bar of chocolate, so was it worth it? Firslty, it's worth noting that it isn't a traditional Dubai chocolate bar. Originally created by Fix Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai, UAE, the treat made with milk chocolate, pistachio cream and kadayif, it was then popularised by TikTok. While the Big Daddy Pistachio has a "subtly sweet fine biscuit crumb", it doesn't have kadayif. But this bar is so good I didn't even mind - and I was actually left impressed they hadn't just copied the recipe from every other retailer. With thick, creamy milk chocolate, gooey sweet and salty caramel, crunchy, fine biscuit crumb, coupled with a pistachio layer made with roasted pistachios, pistachio crème and white chocolate - I was left gobsmacked. Firstly, I was shocked by the size and weight of it. Weighing 280g, it's not your average chocolate bar, and it felt incredibly heavy and dense in my hands. (Image: Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz) After cutting it open, I was immediately excited after seeing the layer of oozy caramel, along with a thick and generous layer of pistachio filling. I was a bit worried it would be too heavy - but because all the flavours were perfectly balanced, it didn't feel like it. The bar didn't taste sickly, as the salty flavours from the caramel and nuts complimented the sweet flavours. The pistachio layer almost tasted like nougat. In the best way possible, think of an incredibly fancy Mars bar with pistachio flavour. It could have done with a bit more crunch to it, either from more biscuits or more pistachio, but overall it was so much better than I thought it would be. I was expecting to wish it tasted more like the Dubai-style chocolate I'd had on holiday. But this is its own thing. After just one bite I was left wanting more - and luckily there's plenty to go round. However, I fear if I had kept on going I would have eventually started to regret it because of the rich flavours. That being said, I was blown away by the twist, and was left feeling it was worth it. I will definitely be buying it again! Dubai chocolate has boomed in popularity over the last couple of years - even in the UK. Some retailers, such as Lindt and Lidl, have created their own versions with the core ingredients.
Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I tried M&S £8.50 pistachio chocolate bar - the luxe twist surprised me'
As the whole world raves about the viral Dubai chocolate - a pistachio-filled thick chocolate bar, Marks and Spencer has concoted their own version. With lots of different dupes of the Dubai chocolate bar around, M&S decided to take it up a level with their own version and named it the "Big Daddy 2.0". With Dubai chocolate being the number one trending hashtag for food and drink in the UK on TikTok, and pistachio having a moment online, with an 80% search increase, it's no surprise M&S have made their own bar. The original Big Daddy from M&S was a peanut-filled chocolate bar, but now the 2.0 is a revamped version, stuffed with pistachio creme and pistachio pieces. M&S shoppers 'queue outside stores' for £8.50 Dubai-style chocolate The original Dubai Chocolate Bar is actually called Can't Get Knafeh Of It. This was created by Fix Dessert Chocolatier based in Dubai, UAE. Popularised on TikTok, this sweet treat is a blend of milk chocolate filled with a pistachio cream and crispy kataifi (a shredded phyllo pastry) filling. It is said to be inspired by the Middle Eastern dessert knafeh, a traditional Arab dessert. The trend has led to a huge demand as recreations take shape outside of the UAE. Some have been spotted on shop shelves, including an option from Lindt, and choices in B&M, Home Bargains, Lidl, Aldi and Morrisons. People have even tried making their own homemade versions with the core ingredients. I am a huge pistachio lover, so I just knew I needed to get my hands on M&S brand new bar as soon as possible. With M&S's thick, signature creamy milk chocolate and gooey sweet and salty caramel, it was already a delight. But add a light and crunchy, subtly sweet biscuit crumb and the ultimate chunky, nutty pistachio layer - made with real roasted pistachios, pistachio crème and white chocolate - what's not to love? As soon as I opened the box - yes it comes in a box instead of a wrapper - I was amazed at how big it truly was. It's called the Big Daddy for a reason. It was thick and extremely dense, and for £8.50 a bar, it's exactly what you'd expect. I broke the bar in half and immediately, the caramel oozed out alongside some crumbles of pistachio, and I knew I was in for a real treat. Not knowing what to expect, the nutty taste of the pistachio was the first hit, along with the caramel and milk chocolate. It almost had a nougat taste to it, but I think that was from the chunks of pistachio as well as a touch of saltiness, which really complimented the sweet. The big chunks of pistachio gave the chocolate a nice texture as it wasn't all smooth. I was very surprised the pistachio wasn't over powering, and it's incredibly moreish, however you definitely can't eat a lot of it as it can get quite sickly quickly. My only gripe is that it's £8.50 a bar, which is pretty pricey for a chocolate bar and I don't think it's something you can just buy on a whim. It's also very dense and very sweet which could be off putting to some, but for me and my real sweet tooth it was absolutely perfect, and I can tell I am going to be buying a fair few more of these soon as I simply can't stop eating it.
