Chocolate Pistachio Bark {Viral Trend}
Crispy. Crunchy. Delicious. My irresistible Chocolate Pistachio Bark is a simple & stress-free adaptation of the TikTok Viral Dubai Chocolate Bar! I’m not typically one to follow viral trends but when it tastes this good, and can be made easily at home, sign me up! The combination of creamy pistachio butter and crunchy toasted Phyllo pastry (Kataifi/Knafeh), in between thin, decadent layers of chocolate will leave your taste-buds tingling! No chocolate mold or thermometer necessary.
What is the Viral Dubai Chocolate Bar?
The viral Dubai chocolate bar, is a delicious filled, chocolate-bar that originates from Fix Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai and has gained mass attention on TikTok. Common fillings include pistachio cream, custard, and caramel. This chocolate bar features chocolate, pistachio spread, and kataifi pastry (shredded Phyllo pastry) to create the perfect blend of crunchy and buttery.
Where can I find pistachio spread/butter?
Pistachio spread can be found in the spreads/jams section of your international grocery store or online. It is shelf stable outside of the fridge and it’s expiration date is fairly long (although it might not last long on your kitchen shelf!)
What is Kataifi?
Kataifi is a type of shredded pastry that is popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. It is made from shredded phyllo dough. The dough is delicate and thread-like, that is incredibly crunchy when toasted! It makes the perfect filling for chocolates or desserts!
Sofia’s Baking Tip: Kataifi Pastry Substitutes
If you can’t find Kataifi (also called Knafeh), you can substitute it with crushed Shredded Wheat cereal or crushed wavy chips!
What is a chocolate bark?
Chocolate bark is similar to a chocolate bar but much easier and stress free! It is made by spreading melted chocolate onto a flat surface and then topping that with your favourite toppings. In this recipe, melted chocolate is topped with a deliciously crunchy pistachio cream. It is complete with another layer of chocolate and decorated with crushed pistachios, kataifi pastry shreads, melted white chocolate, and chocolate sprinkles! Once it is set, it can be broken and made to resemble a tree’s “bark”.
What does “tempering” chocolate mean?
Tempering chocolate is a fancy way to say to making chocolate have a nice shine and snap! It involves heating and cooling chocolate in several steps to get chocolate that is not dull or grainy in texture. Usually tempering chocolate is done over simmering water in a “bain-marie” (double boiler setup) however…sometime, you simply don’t have time for that fanciness! The quick version of tempering used for this Chocolate Pistachio Bark is done using one bowl and a microwave. The results are a quick “tempered” chocolate in minutes. If you are looking to be extra fancy during this Microwave chocolate tempering process, you can also use a candy thermometer to check your chocolate temperature to make sure it’s just right. Below are the rough temperatures of the three most popular chocolate types:
- Dark Chocolate: 88 – 90 degrees F (31-32 C)
- Milk Chocolate: 86 – 88 degrees F (30-31 C)
- White Chocolate: 82 – 84 degrees F (28-29 C)
Sofia’s Baking Tip:
Dark Chocolate melts at a higher temperature than milk and white chocolate allowing it to be more forgiving during the heating process. Always heat your chocolate in 15-30 second intervals, between stirs, to ensure you don’t burn your chocolate!
Sofia’s Tips: Expertly Tempering Chocolate
Here are my 5 quick tips for stress-free chocolate tempering –
(in the microwave, without a thermometer!!)
1. Start with High-Quality Chocolate: Use good quality bars of chocolate over chocolate chips (too many stabilizers that will interfere with tempering). Cut your chocolate bars into similar-sized, small pieces.
2. Microwave in Short Bursts: Stir well after each microwave burst (15-30s).You can heat dark chocolate in 30-second intervals and milk chocolate in 15-20 second intervals at 50% power.
3. Stir Constantly & Monitor Texture: After each microwave burst, stir the chocolate thoroughly. Watch the chocolate start melting and become smooth. Stop heating once most of the chocolate has melted, but there are still a few small lumps. Continue to stir until all is melted.
4. Test temperature by touch: For dark chocolate, the melted chocolate should feel slightly warm but not hot on your skin. For milk chocolate, it should feel just warm. If it’s too hot, let it cool slightly before continuing.
5. Seed Method for Consistency: After melting, add a small amount of finely chopped, un-melted chocolate to the melted chocolate and stir until the lumps have dissolved. This will help achieve a smooth finish and a good snap.
To make this bark, you will need:
- Chopped Chocolate (milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate)
- Kataifi Pastry (from frozen or refrigerated, thawed)
- Pistachio Spread/Butter (smooth, room temperature)
- Butter (unsalted or salted)
- Optional:
- Crushed pistachios (shelled and crushed/roughly chopped)
- White chocolate (melted)
- Gold Sprinkles (as desired for a little sparkle!)
- Extra fried Kataifi (for that extra crunch!)
Let’s make my irresistible Chocolate Pistachio Bark!
Prepare your Crispy Kataifi (shredded Phyllo): In a medium pan, melt your butter and add Kataifi shredded dough. Fry until all pastry has crisped and is golden brown, approximately 5-10 min (note: you can add an additional 1 tbsp of coconut oil/butter, if needed, to help browning during the frying process).
Melt half of your chocolate in the microwave, in 30 second increments. Once 3/4 of the chocolate has melted, stir continuously, to melt the remaining chocolate (note: this is a quick chocolate tempering!).
On a flat cutting board/surface, spread your melted chocolate into a rectangle. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix your cooled Kataifi with pistachio spread.
Spoon crunchy pistachio spread over your melted chocolate layer, until evenly spread. Return to the refrigerator for an additional 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the last half of your chopped chocolate until it is 3/4 melted. Stir the chocolate until all of it is melted (note: another quick chocolate tempering step!)
Remove chocolate bark from the fridge and spread your second layer of chocolate over the entire surface. Optional: Decorate with crushed pistachios, crunchy kataifi bits, and melted white chocolate. Allow to cool once more in the refrigerator, this time for 20 minutes.
Cut, serve, and enjoy!!
This bark can be enjoyed straight from the fridge, freezer, or at room temperature!
Also check out:
Black Forest Chocolate Bark
Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Lace Cookies
Pistachio Chocolate Bark {Viral Trend}
Ingredients
- 3 cups Kataiffi (shredded pastry) frozen/refrigerated, thawed to room temperature
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Pistachio paste
- 400 g (14 oz) Milk Chocolate or Semi-sweet chocolate roughly chopped chocolate (preferred over chocolate chips)
Optional Decorations
- 2 tbsp White Chocolate Chips Melted
- 1 tsp Crushed Pistachios
- 1 tsp Chocolate Sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare your Crispy Kataifi: In a medium pan, melt your butter and add Kataifi shredded dough. Fry until all pastry has crisped and is golden brown, approximately 5-10 min (note: you can add an additional 1 tbsp of coconut oil/butter, if needed, for extra moisture during the frying process).
- Melt half of your chocolate in the microwave, in 30 second increments. Once 3/4 of the chocolate has melted, stir continuously, to melt the remaining chocolate (note: this is a quick chocolate tempering!).
- On a flat cutting board/surface, spread your melted chocolate into a rectangle. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix your cooled Kataifi with pistachio spread.
- Spoon crunchy pistachio spread over your melted chocolate layer, until evenly spread. Return to the refrigerator for an additional 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the last half of your chopped chocolate until it is 3/4 melted. Stir the chocolate until all of it is melted (note: another quick chocolate tempering step!)
- Remove chocolate bark from the fridge and spread your second layer of chocolate over the entire surface. Optional: Decorate with crushed pistachios, crunchy kataifi bits, and melted white chocolate. Allow to cool once more in the refrigerator, this time for at least 20 minutes.
- Cut, serve, and enjoy!!
- This bark can be enjoyed straight from the fridge, freezer, or at room temperature!
Video
Notes
- This bark can be enjoyed straight from the fridge, freezer, or at room temperature!
- Prefer dark chocolate? You can easily swap milk chocolate with semi-sweet or 70% dark chocolate.
- Can’t find Kataifi dough? A fun substitute is crushed potato chips, Shredded Wheats cereal, or crispy rice cereal
- Leftover chocolate bark can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge or in the freezer.
