These Dubai Chocolate Cups are little bites of happiness, made with love and a touch of Middle Eastern flair. Each one has a smooth chocolate shell that cracks gently when you bite into it, giving way to a rich filling that’s hard to resist. The inside is a mix of homemade pistachio cream and toasted kataif, nutty, creamy, and just the right amount of crunchy. It’s a flavor and texture combo that feels both comforting and exciting at the same time.
What I love most about these cups is how they surprise people. At first, they look like simple chocolate treats, but one bite reveals something much more special. The roasted kataif gives the pistachio cream a light crunch that keeps you coming back for another taste.
They’re perfect for sharing at gatherings, wrapping up as thoughtful little gifts, or keeping tucked away for when you want a sweet moment all to yourself. Simple ingredients, put together with care, can create something truly memorable, and these Dubai Chocolate Cups are proof of that.
How to make Dubai Chocolate Cups
Begin with preparing the pistachio paste. Start by blanching the pistachios: place them in a bowl with boiling water for 5–10 minutes, then drain. Rub off the skins with a kitchen towel until the nuts are bright green, then pat dry. Transfer the pistachios to a food processor and blend until they turn into a thick paste, scraping down the sides occasionally. This may take several minutes.
Next, melt the white chocolate gently over a bain-marie. Then add it, along with the condensed milk, coconut oil, salt, and matcha (if using), straight into the pistachio paste. Blend until you have a silky, luscious pistachio cream. Set aside until ready to use.
Then, prepare the filling base. In a dry nonstick skillet, melt 2 teaspoons (10 g) of butter over medium heat. Add the kataif pastry to the pan and toast, stirring often, until it’s deeply golden and crisp, about 3–5 minutes. The aroma should turn nutty and buttery. As it toasts, crush the strands lightly with your spatula or spoon. Once cooled, crush more finely with your hands if necessary.
How to make the chocolate cups
Melt the milk chocolate gently over a bain-marie, then remove from heat and stir in the semisweet chocolate to temper it. Spoon a teaspoon of melted chocolate into each cup, swirling or using the back of a spoon to coat the bottom and halfway up the sides. Aim for a thick, even shell. Refrigerate for 10 minutes until set.
Next, mix the toasted kataif with the pistachio paste. Spoon this mixture into the prepared chocolate shells, pressing lightly to avoid gaps. Top each with another teaspoon of pistachio paste for a creamy center. Refrigerate for 5–10 minutes to firm slightly.
Then, cover the filling withthe remaining tempered chocolate, making sure the top is sealed and the chocolate connects to the sides of the shell. Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes until fully set.
Finally, store your pistachio chocolate cups in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
If you try it out, make sure to share the photos with me on Instagram. Would love to see how it turns out for you.
Other Pistachio Desserts You May Like to Try
This Chocolate Pistachio Mousse Cake is a rich, silky mousse cake made with a chocolate cake at the bottom, topped with a smooth pistachio mousse, perfect for when you want something elegant yet indulgent.
This Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream is smooth, creamy, and packed with nutty flavor, a refreshing way to enjoy pistachios in the summer.
These Pistachio Raspberry Mini Éclairs are light choux pastry filled with pistachio cream and fresh raspberry sauce for a delicate, bite-sized treat.
This Pistachio Pudding is comforting, creamy, and full of flavor, a quick dessert you’ll want to make again and again.
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Pistachio Strawberry Macaron Cake
Cranberry Pistachio Snowball Cookies
Pistachio Raspberry Lime Mousse Cake
Cranberry Pistachio Fudge without Sweetened Condensed Milk
Dubai Chocolate Cups
Ingredients
Pistachio Cream with Condensed Milk ((makes about 1 pound-450g of pistachio cream)
- 5 oz (150g) shelled, unsalted pistachios
- 2/3 cup (200g) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 oz (60g) white chocolate
- 3 tbsp (45g) coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp (1g) salt
- 1 tsp matcha powder , for color, optional
Kataif Filling
- 2 oz (50g) kataif pastry
- 2 tsp (10g) butter
- 1/2 cup (120g) pistachio cream
For Topping
- 1/2 cup (120g) pistachio cream , to top the kataif filling
For Chocolate Cups
- 7 oz (200g) milk chocolate
- 2 oz (60g) semisweet chocolate , for tempering
For Garnish
- pistachios , finely chopped
Instructions
Prepare the pistachio paste.
- Blanch the pistachios: Place them in a bowl with boiled water for 5-10 minutes.
- Drain, then rub off skins in a kitchen towel. Pat dry.
- Place pistachios in a food processor and blend until they turn into a thick paste.
- Scrape down the sides often. This may take several minutes.
- Melt the white chocolate over a bain-marie over low heat.
- Then add it, along with the condensed milk, coconut oil, salt, and matcha (if using), straight into the pistachio paste.
- Blend until silky. Set aside until ready to use.
Toast the kataif.
- In a dry nonstick skillet, melt the 2 tsp (10g) butter over medium heat.
- Add kataif pastry.
- Toast, stirring frequently, until deep golden and crisp (3–5 minutes).
- As it toasts, crush the strands lightly with your spatula or spoon. Once cooled, crush more finely with your hands if necessary.
Prepare the chocolate cups.
- Gently melt the milk chocolate over a bain-marie, over low heat.
- Remove from the heat and add the semisweet chocolate, to temper the chocolate.
- Mix until completely melted.
- Fill each silicone muffin cup with 1 large teaspoon of chocolate.
- Rotate or use the back of the teaspoon to coat up to half the sides of the cup with quite a thick layer of chocolate.
- Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set.
Fill the cups.
- Meanwhile, add 1/2 cup of pistachio cream to the cooled toasted kataif.
- Mix to combine.
- Spoon the kataif–pistachio mixture into the 12 chocolate cups, dividing it evenly.
- Press lightly so there are no gaps.
- Top each with 1 more teaspoon of pistachio paste, and smooth the top.
- Place in the fridge for 5–10 minutes so the filling firms slightly.
- Pour or spoon tempered chocolate over the filling.
- Spread to cover and join the shell walls.
- Chill in the fridge for 15–20 minutes until fully set.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @homecookingadventure on Instagram and hashtag it #homecookingadventure.
Waiting for this dubai recipe.
Thank you so much.
Love and best wishes from India