Dubai Chocolate Tart (Pistachio Cream & Kataifi Dessert)

This Dubai chocolate–style tart is an easy dessert inspired by the famous viral chocolate bar.

A crisp tart shell holds a rich filling made with pistachio cream and kataifi, all topped with smooth milk chocolate ganache.

A simple but impressive pistachio dessert idea from the viral Dubai chocolate trend.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate trend. Pistachio cream and crunchy kataifi create the same rich-and-crispy contrast that made Dubai chocolate desserts famous.
• Simple ingredients. If you have pistachio cream and kataifi (or kadayif), the rest is basic baking staples.
• Looks impressive, but easy to make. The steps are straightforward: make the tart shell, mix the filling, pour the ganache, chill.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Tart Shell

• All-Purpose Flour. Forms the base of the tart shell and gives the crust structure. Regular all-purpose flour works best here, but cake flour should do in a pinch.
• Almond Flour. Adds a subtle nutty flavor and helps create a more tender, crumbly tart crust. If you don’t have almond flour, try my pate sucree recipe instead (no almond flour).
• Powdered Sugar. Sweetens the dough and helps keep the texture fine and tender. Powdered sugar blends more easily into the dough than granulated sugar so it’s the best option.
• Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances the buttery flavor of the tart shell.
• Cold Unsalted Butter. Creates the buttery flavor and flaky texture. The butter should be cold and cut into small cubes so it blends evenly when pulsed in the food processor. Skip the salt if using salted butter.
• Egg. Egg binds the dough and helps the crust hold together when rolled out and baked. Whisk the egg first and measure the amount needed.

Dubai Chocolate-styled Filling

• Pistachio cream The base of the filling and the main flavor of the tart. Pistachio cream is smooth, sweet, and spreadable, similar to Nutella but made with pistachios.
• Kataifi (kadayif). Thin shredded pastry that gives the filling its signature crunch. It’s the same ingredient used in many Dubai chocolate–style desserts. Before mixing, make sure it’s dry and roughly chopped, so it blends evenly with the pistachio cream.
• Powdered sugar (optional). Some pistachio creams are less sweet than others. Taste the filling and mix in a little powdered sugar if needed.

Milk Chocolate Ganache

• Milk chocolate.
• Heavy cream.
• Butter. Adds shine and extra smoothness to the ganache.
• Salt. A small pinch balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor.

Topping

• Chopped pistachios. Sprinkled on top for extra crunch and a clear visual hint of the pistachio filling inside. Optional, but highly recommended if you care about the presentation.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Dubai Chocolate Tart

Step 1: Make the Tart Shell

👉 For detailed instructions on making a tart shell check out my tart shell recipe writeup.

1. Mix the dry ingredients. Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt to a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to combine.
2. Cut in the butter. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse a few times until the mixture looks sandy, with tiny specks of butter throughout.
3. Add the egg. Pour in the whisked egg and pulse a few times until the dough looks roughly combined. It should still look uneven and crumbly at this stage.
4. Finish the dough by hand. Transfer the mixture to a bowl or clean work surface. Quickly press it together by hand until it forms a dough. Work fast so the butter stays cold.
5. Chill the dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or place it in a plastic bag. Flatten it slightly into a disk so it chills faster and hydrates evenly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight.

6. Roll out and chill again. Roll the dough out to about 3 mm thickness on lightly floured parchment paper or a silicone mat. Turn the dough every couple of passes and add a little flour if it starts sticking. Try to handle the dough as little as possible so it doesn’t warm up. Once rolled out, freeze it for 15 to 30 minutes until slightly firm but still flexible.
7. Transfer to the tart pan. Lightly butter your tart pan or pie dish if it isn’t non-stick. Place the chilled dough over the pan.
8. Press the dough into the pan. As the dough warms slightly, gently press it into the bottom and sides of the pan. Make sure it fits into all the corners, especially where the base meets the sides.
9. Trim and dock the crust. Trim the excess dough by pressing a sharp knife from the inside of the pan outward. Press the edges again so the dough sticks well to the pan, then prick the bottom with a fork.
10. Freeze before baking. Freeze the shaped tart shell for about 30 minutes. This helps the crust hold its shape during baking.
11. Bake. Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 15–18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
12. Cool before filling. Let the tart shell cool completely in the pan before adding any fillings.

Step 2: Fill the Tart Shell

1. Make the ganache. Add the chopped milk chocolate to a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream until hot and just about to simmer, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for about 1 minute, then stir until smooth and fully combined. Add butter and salt and stir to combine. Blend until smooth if you like.

2. Cool the ganache slightly. Let the ganache cool at room temperature until it thickens a bit. It should still be pourable, but not hot. Stir every couple of minutes if possible so it doesn’t form a skin.
3. Prepare the kataifi. If the kataifi strands are long, chop them into smaller pieces so they mix more evenly with the pistachio cream.
4. Mix the filling. In a bowl, combine the pistachio cream and chopped kataifi. Stir until evenly mixed. Taste the filling and add a little powdered sugar if needed.
5. Fill the tart shell. Spread the pistachio kataifi mixture into the cooled tart shell and level it out into an even layer.
6. Pour over the ganache. Once the ganache has cooled slightly and started to thicken, pour it over the filling. Gently spread it if needed so the top is even.

7. Let the ganache set slightly. Leave the tart at room temperature until the ganache is close to room temperature and no longer too fluid.
8. Top with pistachios. Sprinkle chopped pistachios over the top. Test a small area first to make sure the ganache is thick enough to hold them without sinking.
9. Chill until set. Refrigerate the tart for 2 to 3 hours, or until the ganache is fully set.
10. Serve or store. Slice and serve once chilled. Store the tart in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Tips

• Check the ganache and tart shell guides if this is your first time making these. If you’re new to ganache, read the tips section in my ganache mega guide for troubleshooting, texture fixes, and ratio explanations. And if this is your first tart, the tart shell guide includes detailed tips on rolling, transferring, and baking tart dough successfully.
• Use a warm knife for clean slices. Run a knife under hot water, wipe it dry, then slice the tart. The warm blade cuts cleanly through the ganache so the slices stay neat.

Dubai Chocolate Tart

Rich pistachio-and-kataifi-filled tart topped with milk chocolate ganache and chopped pistachios — a Dubai-chocolate-inspired dessert.

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Prep Time: 47 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 23 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Dubai Chocolate, Kataifi, Pistachios

Servings: 1 tart

Calories: 4537kcal

Author: Marcin Skrzypiec

Ingredients

Tart shell

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 g
• 3 tablespoons almond flour 18 g
• ½ cup powdered sugar 56 g
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 4 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cubed, 64 g
• ½ large egg whisked, 25 g

Dubai filling

• 7 ounces pistachio cream 200 g, up to 8 oz or 225 g
• 3 ½ ounces kadayif (or kataifi) dried and chopped, 100 g

Milk chocolate ganache

• 1/3 cup heavy cream 80 g
• 5 ½ ounces milk chocolate 160 g
• 1 tablespoon butter 14 g
• pinch salt

Topping

• pistachios chopped

Instructions

Make the Tart Shell

• Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse a couple of times just to combine the dry ingredients evenly.
  1 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons almond flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt
• Cut In Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse a few times until the mixture looks sandy, with tiny specks of butter still visible.
  4 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
• Add The Egg: Pour in the whisked egg and pulse a few more times until the dough is roughly combined; it should remain uneven and crumbly at this stage.
  ½ large egg
• Finish the Dough: Transfer the mixture to a bowl or clean work surface and quickly press it together by hand until it forms a dough, working fast so the butter stays cold.
• Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic or a bag and flatten slightly into a disk so it chills faster and hydrates evenly; refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight.
• Roll and Freeze: Roll the dough to about 3 mm on lightly floured parchment or a silicone mat, turning it every couple passes and adding a little flour if it sticks; once rolled, freeze 15 to 30 minutes until slightly firm but still flexible.
• Transfer to Tart Pan: Lightly butter the tart pan if it’s not non-stick, then drape the chilled dough over the pan so it sits evenly across the base and sides.
• Press Into Pan: As the dough warms slightly, gently press it into the bottom and sides, making sure it fits into all corners, especially where the base meets the sides.
• Trim and Dock: Trim excess dough by cutting from the inside edge outward with a sharp knife, press the edges again so the crust adheres, then prick the bottom a few times with a fork.
• Freeze Before Baking: Freeze the shaped tart shell for about 30 minutes to help it hold its shape during baking.
• Bake the Shell: Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 15–18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden, then let the tart shell cool completely in the pan before filling.

Fill the Tart Shell

• Make the Ganache: Place the chopped milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream until hot and just about to simmer, pour it over the chocolate, let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth; add the tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt and stir to combine (blend if you want extra silkiness).
  5 ½ ounces milk chocolate, 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon butter, pinch salt
• Cool the Ganache: Let the ganache cool at room temperature until it thickens slightly but is still pourable, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent a skin from forming.
• Prepare the Kataifi: If the kataifi strands are long, chop them into smaller pieces so they mix more evenly with the pistachio cream.
  3 ½ ounces kadayif (or kataifi)
• Mix the Filling: In a bowl, combine the pistachio cream with the chopped kataifi and stir until evenly mixed; taste and add a little powdered sugar if you want it sweeter.
  7 ounces pistachio cream
• Fill the Shell: Spread the pistachio–kataifi mixture into the cooled tart shell and level it into an even layer.
• Pour the Ganache: When the ganache has cooled enough to thicken but is still pourable, pour it over the filling and gently spread it so the top is even.
• Let Ganache Set: Leave the tart at room temperature until the ganache is close to room temperature and no longer very fluid.
• Top with Pistachios: Sprinkle chopped pistachios over the top; test a small area first to make sure the ganache is thick enough to hold them without sinking.
  pistachios
• Chill Until Set: Refrigerate the tart for 2 to 3 hours, or until the ganache is fully set.
• Serve or Store: Slice and serve once chilled, or store the tart in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Notes

Makes one 9-inch (23-cm) tart.

Treat nutrition information as a rough estimate.

Nutrition

Calories: 4537kcal | Carbohydrates: 392.94g | Protein: 106.7g | Fat: 298.74g | Fiber: 45.34g

Tried this recipe?Comment below or tag your snaps @definitelynotachefblog or #madewithdnac!

Looking for More Recipes?

• Strawberry pistachio tart. Same tart shell, this time with pistachio frangipane, white chocolate mascarpone cream, and topped with strawberry compote.
• Dubai chocolate financier cake. Same pistachio cream and kataifi filling, this time built into a layered cake — chocolate financier base, whipped mascarpone, and milk chocolate ganache on top.
• No-Bake Pistachio Cheesecake. Another pistachio dessert, this time with no oven and far less assembly — a good option when you want the same nutty flavor with a much simpler build.

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