I hate trends. As soon as I saw everyone wearing Hoka sneakers, I didn’t care how comfortable they were — I knew I would never own a pair. I felt the same about Dubai chocolate: even though I love it, I avoided making it or posting anything about it. Dubai chocolate is chocolate filled with pistachio paste, crunchy kataifi noodles, and brown butter.
The only reason I fell for it was Adeena Sussman. I was intrigued by the fact that she took a luxurious Arabic treat and turned it into a Jewish kosher-for-Passover dessert by changing one crucial ingredient. It was clever and ironic. She replaced the crunchy kataifi noodles — which are made with wheat and aren’t always easy to find — with crunchy matzah!
By the way, I met Adeena. I went to her Shabbat book signing here in LA. I thought I would dislike her because I envied her for being a great writer and bestselling author, but she was humble and warm, and impossible to dislike.
My version is only slightly different from Adeena’s, yet very different from the original. I use dark chocolate, which I melt with ghee to make it richer. I process the pistachios with maple syrup instead of sugar and add a pinch of coarse salt for contrast. You can make it with milk or white chocolate like in the traditional recipe.
I don’t think I’ve ever had Dubai chocolate from Dubai. I have a feeling the ones I keep bumping into at Jon’s supermarket are going to be too sweet for me. The only Dubai bar I’d willingly pay for is made by my friend John Paul of Maramba Chocolate — it’s ridiculously good.
You know they’re too good for your own good when your teenager devours them before you’ve taken pictures.
Notes:
— Instead of processing the pistachios yourself, you can use store-bought pistachio paste. I processed them in a food processor until pasty but still slightly chunky.
–If you don’t have silicone molds, you can use an ice cube tray, or simply make one large chocolate bar in a loaf pan — line it with baking paper, pour in half the melted chocolate, add the filling, then pour the remaining chocolate over the top.
— Bought a whole box of matzah and not sure what to do with the rest? Don’t let it go to waste — make matzo brei, matzah layered cake, and matzah slathered with chocolate.
Dubai Chocolate Kosher For Passover
Equipment
- Silicone chocolate mold or ice cube tray
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons melted ghee or butter
- 1 matzah
- ½ cup raw shelled pistachios
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- ¾ cup 72% dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the matzah on a baking sheet and brush with ghee. Toast until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, process the pistachios with maple syrup and salt until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Let the matzah cool, then break it into small pieces and add to the food processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture is sandy but still has some texture.
- Combine the chocolate chips and remaining ghee in a small heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted and smooth.
- Spoon the melted chocolate into each mold cavity, filling halfway. Add a ¼-½ teaspoon (depending on the size of your mold) pistachio-matzah filling, pressing it down gently. Cover with the remaining chocolate and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Once hardened, remove from the mold and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
