Dubai Chocolate Brownies

If you’re as completely obsessed with the Dubai chocolate trend as we are, then you gotta sink your teeth into these Dubai chocolate brownies. The crispy, silky pistachio and tahini layer from the original contrasts perfectly with the soft, fudgy brownie. I honestly still can’t get over how good these are. You do need some specialty ingredients (I go into specifics below), but for a dessert this decadent, trust me when I say it is SO worth it.

The brownies:
Because there are some potentially unfamiliar ingredients in the rest of this recipe, I kept the brownie layer simple by using a box mix. I chose Ghirardelli for its rich chocolate flavor, but feel free to sub in your favorite. You can also make your own brownies if you’re feeling ambitious!

The kataifi:
Kataifi (kadayif, kunafa, or kanafeh) is a pastry that looks like vermicelli, but with the texture of phyllo dough. It’s commonly used in Middle Eastern countries, like the United Arab Emirates (hence, Dubai), and in the Mediterranean, like in Greece. It typically comes frozen in nests or long strands that have to be chopped into smaller, bite-size pieces. When developing this recipe, I used Apollo Kataifi, but you can also order it on Amazon.

Heads up: As the kataifi start to get crispy, they will break into smaller pieces when stirring in the pan, but you can hand tear or cut it into small bits and pieces to make it easier to fit all at once. When browning it in the butter, just make sure to monitor the heat and stir often so they don’t burn.

The pistachio cream:
Pistachio cream is silky and sweet with underlying semi-savory, lightly bitter notes. If you’re unfamiliar, make sure to seek out pistachio cream versus pistachio butter. The former features sweetener, milk, and sometimes white chocolate, while the latter is just ground pistachios (and sometimes added oil). Think Nutella versus almond butter, if that makes sense.

I tried this with Paolo's pistachio cream spread and Antebella pistachio cream, and both worked well. Pistachio cream is becoming much more popular, so you may find it at your local market or your local Costco; otherwise, try an Italian market or Amazon. You’ll need 2 (7-oz.) jars for this recipe, so shop accordingly.

Storage:
Because there is cream in the ganache here, these can spoil quickly, so make sure to keep them in the fridge. They'll keep in an airtight container in there for up to 5 days.

Did you make this recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments down below!