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Time Out Dubai
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out Dubai
Where to find the OG viral Dubai chocolate (and the best dupes)
Haven't heard about the viral 'Dubai chocolate'? Then you need to hop onto an Instagram feed near you immediately. The first iteration of the now-global chocolate bar originated from Fix Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai, and its beloved 'Can't Get Knafeh of It' has been sold exclusively since 2022. FIX's famous creation, now known as the original Dubai chocolate bar, consists of a rich milk chocolate shell stuffed with green pistachio cream, crispy kataifi (shredded phyllo pastry) and tahini, which was inspired by the traditional Middle Eastern dessert Knafeh. Credit: Instagram @fixdessertchocolatier Although only available in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, FIX's ultra-gooey bars have officially gone mainstream and have resulted in many chocolate fans around the globe trying to recreate them at home. It's so good, it's even triggered other brands to create competitive versions too (more of that later!). You might also like: 8 Dubai chefs reveal what they really think of viral FIX chocolate Not only is the viral Dubai chocolate unique, but it's also hard to get your hands on, as FIX only releases two batches per day online and they're usually quick sell-outs. Desperate to try? Here are our tips on where to buy a bar or where to get the best dupes instead. Where can I buy the original Dubai chocolate? Whether it's the classic kunafeh or a bit of baklawa you're after, you need to act quickly. Founded by British-Egyptian Dubai expat Sarah Hamouda, each piece of FIX chocolate is homemade, with designs painted on its surface. Crafted with care, the limited supply makes them all the more sought after. Currently, FIX Dessert's main shop is online only, and you can only order from the Deliveroo app. Going live daily at 2pm and 5pm, if you're ordering on Deliveroo a box of 6 different flavours will cost you Dhs385.50, or a mini box comes with 10 smaller pieces of chocolate from Dhs189. Make sure you're on the app at the time of release and don't hang about getting it in your basket either. The best viral Dubai chocolate dupes Break by Mara Ok so this isn't quite a chocolate bar – but hear us out. It has the kunafa pistachio, it has a gooey centre and it's encased in milk chocolate. Available in Dubai Valley 77, don't hang around – go get your slice. Daily 10am-midnight. Jumeirah 2, @breakbymara (050 871 9882). Chocoart UAE Only available in the store but you can come away with a kunafa pistachio bar for only Dhs20. Usually offering chocolate trays and towers for special occasions, Chocoart offers a budget-friendly version of the popular new snack. Open daily 8am-10pm. Muwaileh Commercial Industrial Area, Sharjah. @ (06 550 8832). Chocovana (Credit: Supplied) The custom-made chocolate company are known for their specially selected sweet treats, and now you can order its pistachio-stuffed bars – but it has to be in a big batch. If you're looking to seriously stock up, or perhaps source some party favours, you can order the bars in boxes of 100 at a time. Dhs12 per piece (minimum of 100 pieces), (04 271 5603). Chunk Bakehouse If you want a change from the chocolate bar, then this dreamcake might be exactly what you're looking for. Filled with a creamy pistachio filling, crispy kunafa underneath and of course, a generous layer of chocolate powder on the top. Priced at Dhs149, the cake is a great one to share with friends if you're feeling peckish. @ Hadoota Masreya Inspired by FIX Chocolate. Credit: Hadoota Masreya. This long-standing Egyptian restaurant is also taking part in the trend with a 'Dubai Feteer' filled with a mixture of crunchy kunafa and pistachio sauce, all topped with a drizzle of rich chocolate. This flaky, buttery pastry, a beloved staple in Egyptian cuisine, has been transformed into the viral dessert. Dhs75. Daily from 10am-midnight. Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Safa 1 (04 380 9000). Kadayifzade The Turkish sweet shop and café has also launched its own version of the bar and you can get it in person or on Deliveroo and Talabat. Usually costing around Dhs75 for one bar, you can try the kunafa filling in milk, dark and white chocolate. Various locations. Lava Cake UAE The cake shop has also joined on the kunafa chocolate trend, but unlike FIX, this is the only flavour you can pick up. Filled with pistachio, you can enjoy a full bar for Dhs35 and while you're there, try the molten kinder cake too (trust us). Open Sun-Thurs 10am-midnight, Fri-Sat 10am-1am. Jumeirah 3. (04 295 5541). L'ETO Cafe (Credit: Supplied) The cafe have put their own spin on that dreamy pistachio kunafa combination and have turned it into a cheesecake. A mixture of chocolate cream cheese, tahini, pistachio paste and condensed milk, it's topped with fresh blueberries and chocolate ganache – someone serve us a slice immediately. Dhs55 (slice), Dhs618.95 (full cheesecake). Multiple locations. Noon Minutes Crredit: Adobe The express website is known for coming out with some unique snacks (fried chicken ice cream we're talking about you). But now, the brand has joined the pistachio trend and has released the 'Big Daddy' bar. Partnered with Vocca, the 125g bar is also a more affordable option, priced online at just under Dhs23. Trove Trove Restaurant at Dubai Mall's Fashion Avenue has also jumped on the viral Dubai chocolate bandwagon. Its version of the Dubai Chocolate is a chocolate bar filled with decadent pistachio cream and layered with a crunchy kunafa topping. Available in two sizes, the dessert comes in a small portion priced at Dhs62 and a larger, shareable size for Dhs165, making it a perfect treat for a little solo indulgence and larger group gatherings. Dhs62 (single), Dhs165 (sharable). Trove Restaurants, Dubai Mall (04 347 7444). Viral Brands Viral Brands are selling dupes of the chocolate bars (Credit: Adobe) The dupe exists only on Deliveroo and sells copies of the viral chocolate as well as energy drinks and ice creams. From the pistachio to a kinder kunafa (yum), each bar is priced at Dhs59. Still hungry? The Dubai restaurants and bars opening soon and we can't wait Get these hot spots on your radar 32 banging budget restaurants, as chosen by Dubai's top chefs Expert-approved cheap eats in town 101 best breakfasts to try in Dubai 2025 From eggs Benedict to full-on fry-ups here's where to kick off a morning in style
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The Independent
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
M&S's viral Dubai-style pistachio chocolate bar is bound to sell out – but how does it taste?
Unless you've taken a digital detox of monumental proportions, you'll have heard about the chocolate sensation taking over social media. 'Dubai chocolate' as it's become known, has racked up more than 120 million views on TikTok, sparked a global craving for pistachio cream, and even contributed to international nut shortages. Yes, really. The original Dubai chocolate bar was made by luxury confectionery brand, Fix Dessert Chocolatier, in the UAE. The now treat is a nod to the traditional Knafeh dessert, which is made with spun pastry dough, layered with cheese, soaked in a sweet, sugar-based syrup and finished with a sprinkling of pistachio. The chocolate bars feature a filling of pistachio cream, crispy Kadayif (a fine vermicelli pastry), and a hint of tahini. Think Ferrero Rocher meets baklava, but richer, and infinitely more difficult to track down. Fix Dessert Chocolatier's creations aren't available outside Dubai, but that hasn't stopped brands from attempting to cash in on the viral momentum. First it was Lidl, whose affordable sold out within days. And now Marks & Spencer has joined the pistachio party. Its bar, which launched to fanfare in April, immediately flew off the shelves. It is now back. But does M&S's version live up to the viral hype? And is it worth its £8.50 price tag? I found out. How I tested It will come as no surprise that the testing process for this review involved me eating a lot of chocolate – a particularly hard day in the office for me. For context, I have tried a number of Dubai-style chocolate bars in the past, including Lidl's now sold-out special. So I knew what I was looking for: a good bar is thick and indulgent with high-quality milk chocolate shell, generous lashing of pistachio cream and a satisfying crunch. This is more expensive than your average chocolate bar, so I considered if it really is worth the price – assessing the size, quality of ingredients and if it tastes as luxurious as the price tag suggests.
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Tesco is selling another viral Dubai-style chocolate bar, and it's currently on offer
We have no doubt that you've heard about the viral chocolate craze that's all over our social media feeds – Dubai chocolate. The original bars combine the indulgent flavours of chocolate, pistachio and tahini with filo pastry, taking inspiration from the Middle Eastern dessert, knafeh. Knafeh is a dessert made with spun pastry dough layered with cheese. It's then soaked in a sweet, sugary syrup and finished with crushed pistachios. Fix Chocolatier in the UAE combined these flavours into their popular chocolate bar, 'can't get knafeh of it'. Although the Dubai-based chocolatiers have been in business since 2021, the chocolate has gone viral this year. Dubai chocolate has racked up more than 120 million views on TikTok, and it's so popular that the £15 bars of chocolate are only available for a few hours each day. Following its popularity, we've seen Waitrose limit customer purchases on Dubai-style chocolate, Aldi sell out of a pistachio crème, and even international nut shortages. M&S has had to restock its viral big daddy pistachio bar week after week as the whopping block of chocolate continues to fly off the shelves. Although fans of Fix Chocolatier's Dubai chocolate would say that nothing measures up to the original, many well-known chocolate brands are getting in on the action, creating sell-out bars that offer pistachio lovers a more accessible taste of the goods – well, if you can get your hands on them. Godiva is the latest brand to release a crispy, creamy and nutty bar to shelves. This is everything you need to know. Godiva's pistachio and kadayif milk chocolate bar weighs 122g and brings together smooth and velvety milk chocolate with the delicate crunch of kadayif, a type of shredded filo dough used in Middle Eastern and Balkan desserts. While not exactly the same as knafeh, used in the original bars, the only difference is that kadayif is the type of shredded dough itself, rather than knafeh, which is the dessert that uses kadayif as its base. As you bite into the creamy chocolate, you'll experience rich, nutty flavours, with a blend of sweet and aromatic notes, and plenty of crispy texture. The bar sells for £10, but right now, with a Tesco Clubcard, you can get a taste of Dubai's much-loved chocolate treat for £7.95. Be quick, though – we don't expect the bars to hang around for long.
The Independent
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Supermarket launches 24-layer ‘Matilda' chocolate cake inspired by Bruce Bogtrotter
One of the biggest food trends of late has been the Dubai chocolate bar, which pays homage to the traditional Knafeh dessert. But we've spotted another craze within the foodie scene: childhood nostalgia. Case in point: Tesco is now selling a new 'Matilda' chocolate cake inspired by the classic Nineties movie. Yes, that scene of Bruce Bogtrotter devouring a gigantic cake at the cruel bidding of Miss Trunchbull. It's a scene that has lived rent-free in many of our minds ever since – and now, you've got a chance to recreate it for yourself. The sweet treat comes from Lancashire-based family-owned Studio Bakery. With 12 layers of chocolate sponge and 12 layers of chocolate ganache, it nods to the 24-layered cake in the movie. Though still a chunky slab, it's smaller in size and serves 10 people. It's gone viral on TikTok with some praising its taste but others criticising its high price. You'll have to see for yourself whether it's worth the splurge. Here's everything you need to know about the cake stocked at Tesco. The chocolate cake is the brainchild of a Lancashire family-run bakery Studio Bakery, which is much-loved for its innovative takes on sweet goods. It's been so popular that it's sold out on the bakery's website, so you'll want to act fast if you want to try it. The 12 layers of sponge are made using dark chocolate and are sandwiched between layers of chocolate ganache – and it sounds like the afternoon sweet treat. It serves 10, but we're not to judge if you indulge like Bruce Bogtrotter.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Watchdog warns allergy sufferers about Dubai chocolate
The UK food watchdog has warned people with allergies not to buy imported Dubai chocolate if they have any doubts about ingredients because of different labelling standards. The Food Standards Agency's chief scientific advisor said shoppers should stick to "trusted" retailers in the UK as the products they sell are more likely to be made for the domestic market. Dubai chocolate has become hugely popular fuelled by so-called "influencers" on TikTok, leading UK supermarkets such as Waitrose and Lidl to impose per person limits to meet demand. But a recent investigation by the BBC found several TikTok Shop users selling food without listing allergen information. UK businesses are legally required to declare if a product they sell contains one of the 14 regulated allergens - including nuts and milk. The FSA found some imported Dubai-style chocolate products may not have been intended for sale in the UK and therefore lack a full ingredients list or allergen labelling that are legally required. Professor Robin May, the FSA's chief chief scientific advisor, said: "Some imported Dubai-style chocolate products don't meet our standards and could be a food safety risk, especially for consumers with allergies." He added: "As it's difficult for consumers to tell the difference between products made for the UK and those that aren't, if you have a food allergy or intolerance, we advise that you do not buy the product unless you're certain it's intended for sale here." By law, products made to UK standards must have labels that have the ingredients written in English, the name of the food, a best before or use by date, and the name and address of a UK or European Union (EU) business that is responsible for information on the product. If the food is not from the EU or UK then an importer must be listed. The FSA said it had worked with local authorities to identify a number of Dubai chocolate products that posed a health risk to consumers with allergies. It said some of these products may also contain additives and colours which aren't allowed to be sold in the UK. The popular treat combines the flavours of chocolate, pistachio and tahini with filo pastry, and is inspired by the Arab dessert Knafeh. The regulator is now sampling products to work out the scale of the problem. It said shoppers should report any concerns to their local authority and is working with allergy charities to raise awareness. TikTok Shop food listings 'putting people at risk' From Dubai to Lidl: How one woman's pregnancy craving launched a craze
