Tarts & Pastry
Dubai Chocolate Tart
A dinner-party showstopper: a crisp buttery tart shell filled with a silky chocolate-pistachio ganache and crowned with a halo of golden toasted kataifi.
Step-by-step instructions
Make the pastry
Rub butter into flour and icing sugar until breadcrumb-like. Add egg yolk and water, mix to a dough. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Line and blind-bake
Roll out pastry and line a 23 cm tart tin. Prick the base, line with paper and baking beads. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes, remove beads and bake 8 more minutes until golden.
Make pistachio ganache
Heat cream until just simmering. Pour over chopped milk chocolate. Wait 1 minute, stir smooth, then stir in pistachio cream. Cool to room temperature.
Fill the tart
Pour the cooled ganache into the baked tart shell. Smooth with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate for 2 hours until set.
Add kataifi crown
Arrange toasted kataifi in a ring around the edge of the set tart. Scatter chopped pistachios over the centre.
Serve
Slice with a hot, dry knife and serve at room temperature with a small scoop of crème fraîche if desired.
💡 Dubai Bar tip: Blind-bake the pastry shell properly until it's biscuit-golden — an underbaked shell goes soggy from the ganache filling. Use baking beads or dried rice and give it 15 full minutes.
Practical notes for Dubai Chocolate Tart
Substitutions
- Pistachio cream: Use pistachio butter or paste and adjust sweetness separately; the final texture should remain thick enough to hold kataifi.
- Kataifi: Finely shredded phyllo can work if toasted thoroughly. Feuilletine or crisp wafer gives crunch but changes the character of the recipe.
- Chocolate: Dark chocolate reduces sweetness; milk chocolate is rounder and sweeter; white chocolate creates a much sweeter variation.
Storage
Store covered in the refrigerator. Add or refresh loose toasted kataifi close to serving when possible so the crisp texture is not lost to moisture.
Allergen note
Dubai-chocolate recipes commonly contain pistachio/tree nuts, wheat/gluten and dairy; recipes with tahini also contain sesame. Some versions include egg. Check every packaged ingredient if cooking for someone with an allergy.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep the kataifi crunchy?
Toast it until evenly golden, let it cool completely, and mix it with the filling only after steam has escaped. Moisture is the main enemy of the crisp texture.
Can I make Dubai Chocolate Tart ahead?
Yes, but keep any loose kataifi garnish and wet toppings separate until close to serving. Follow the storage guidance above for the finished recipe.
Can I use dark chocolate instead?
Usually yes. Dark chocolate gives a less sweet, more cocoa-forward result and often balances sweet pistachio cream particularly well.
Ingredient guides