What “original Dubai chocolate” means
The phrase is now used loosely online, but it should not be applied to every pistachio-and-kataifi bar. The global trend is widely associated with FIX Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai and its “Can’t Get Knafeh of It” bar. Later products and homemade recipes are better described as Dubai-style or inspired by the original.
The origin of the trend
Food & Wine reported that the trend originated in Dubai with FIX Dessert Chocolatier and the “Can’t Get Knafeh of It” bar, whose combination of chocolate, pistachio, tahini and kataifi inspired a wave of international adaptations. The Guardian has also described founder Sarah Hamouda’s pregnancy craving and the social-media video that helped turn the bar into a worldwide craze.
Original product vs inspired recipe
What ingredients define the style?
Most interpretations revolve around chocolate, pistachio cream and toasted kataifi. Tahini is common in versions that aim for a more savoury, sesame-rich filling. Ratios vary considerably between brands and home recipes, which is why two bars both labelled “Dubai chocolate” can taste very different.
How we use “original” on dubaibar.eu
We use the term for historical context and search clarity, not to imply that a Dubai Bar recipe is the proprietary recipe of another company. Our classic recipe is a Dubai-chocolate-inspired home recipe.
Sources
Food & Wine and The Guardian provide independent background on the origin and viral spread of the trend.