Chocolate Kunafa

This is my easy take on the viral Dubai chocolate kunafa, and it’s so delicious! Toasted kunafa is mixed with pistachio spread and sandwiched in between milk chocolate. It’s so crunchy, perfectly sweet and delicious. It uses just 4 ingredients and it’s so convenient making this in a loaf pan, with no special chocolate molds needed!

Jump to:

• What is chocolate kunafa?
• What makes this recipe for chocolate kunafa so good:
• Ingredients you need for this:
• How to make this easy viral Dubai chocolate:
• Storing leftovers:
• Expert tips and tricks:
• Recipe Faqs:
• For more delicious chocolatey desserts:
• Chocolate Kunafa

What is chocolate kunafa?

Kunafa is a famous Middle Eastern dessert, made with shredded kataifi or phyllo dough that’s usually assembled with cream or cheese.

This chocolate kunafa is based on a chocolate shop in Dubai that’s taken the internet by storm, with so many people trying recreations. It’s basically a chocolate bar, stuffed with pistachio spread coated kunafa. Honestly, it’s amazing!

What makes this recipe for chocolate kunafa so good:

• It’s so convenient using a loaf pan instead of ordering any special chocolate molds. I’m a big proponent of not making recipes more complicated than they need to be.
• You only use 4 ingredients! And the combination of these four ingredients makes magic.
• You can use the chocolate of your choice, milk, dark, a mix. Chips, chunks, broken up chocolate bars, it all works!
• The crunch from the toasted kataifi dough is unreal. It’s like chocolate feuilletine but SO much better.
• Using an air fryer to toast the kataifi (kunafa) dough makes this much more convenient then standing over a skillet and stirring the dough to toast it.
• This was such a crowd pleaser. My kids couldn’t get enough, and my husband and I couldn’t either! I honestly ended up hiding some pieces for myself in my special little fridge hiding place.

Ingredients you need for this:

Kataifi dough or kunafa dough: A shredded dough also known as shredded phyllo (filo) dough you’ll find this in the freezer section. Thaw this for a couple hours on the countertop or in the fridge overnight.

Butter: Just a little to toast the kataifi dough with (you can also substitute with ghee if you like)

Pistachio spread: Basically like pistachio butter, but it’s usually sweetened too. You can order this online or find it in some supermarkets or nut roasteries, or make your own version at home using pistachios and sugar or condensed milk. Check out this recipe here.

Chocolate: I used milk chocolate, but use any type of chocolate you prefer. You can also do a mix of dark and milk. I used baking chocolate bars that I broke up into pieces before melting.

How to make this easy viral Dubai chocolate:

1. Chop the thawed kunafa dough into 1/2 inch thick pieces, then place in a medium sized bowl and mix with the melted butter until well coated.
2. Heat an air fryer to 350F (180C) , and line the basket of the air fryer with parchment paper. Add the shredded kunafa and air fry for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes so that the kunafa toasts evenly. Alternately, you can add the kunafa to a large skillet over medium heat, and keep stirring until golden brown.
3. Place the toasted kunafa in a large bowl, add the pistachio spread and mix well to combine.
4. Place the chopped chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave gently for 30 seconds, stir, then keep microwaving in 10 second bursts until the chocolate is just melted. Stir to smooth out any pieces.
5. Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, with an overhang so you can lift it out after it sets. Pour half the melted chocolate onto the base of the pan, so that it covers the bottom. Smooth out with a spoon until it forms an even layer.
6. Place the loaf pan in the fridge to set for 5 minutes or until chocolate has hardened, then spoon all the pistachio kunafa mixture on top and spread to evenly cover the chocolate. Pour the remaining melted chocolate on top, smoothing out to cover evenly. Let the loaf pan set in the fridge for another 5-10 minutes.
7. Once the chocolate has set, break it up into pieces like chocolate bark, don’t worry about them being even. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge!

Storing leftovers:

Leftover pieces of chocolate will last in a tightly covered container in the fridge for at least 5-7 days, if you even manage to hold out on devouring this all in one sitting!

Expert tips and tricks:

• Be careful while melting the chocolate so you don’t burn it- microwave until JUST melted, even if some chocolate chunks are still intact. Once you stir the chocolate, it should all melt.
• Spread the chocolate evenly in the loaf pan so that the chocolate sets up at even thickness.
• Check on the kunafa constantly in the air fryer so you don’t burn it. You want it to be evenly golden brown.
• You can use chocolate molds if you want a prettier finished product, and you can even drizzle some white chocolate onto the melted milk chocolate base. For a pretty marbled look, add food coloring to the white chocolate to make colorful streaks across the chocolate.

Recipe Faqs:

For more delicious chocolatey desserts:

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