Malaga's frenzy for viral Dubai chocolate: where to try it

It is, without a doubt, the gastro-trend of the moment. Dubai chocolate has become a viral phenomenon, the object of desire of foodies and gourmands on social media. This premium treat made with pistachio cream and kadayif (a very fine sweet noodle used in many Turkish recipes) has been making the rounds on TikTok and Instagram for months. But what's so special about it and where can we find it in Malaga?

As was to be expected, the trend has caught on in many businesses in the province; they have jumped on the bandwagon by adapting the recipe in different ways. From homemade chocolate bars to tubs of ice cream, biscuits, cheesecakes and brownies. Different alternatives, with a common denominator: in all cases they are sold out, demonstrating pistachio as the new cash cow of confectionery.

Oddly enough, like many great ideas, Dubai chocolate was thought up on a whim. Its creator, Sarah Hamouda, a British-Egyptian living in the Arab Emirates, was pregnant in 2021 and couldn't find anything to satisfy her cravings. So she decided to experiment in her kitchen. Inspired by the flavours of her childhood and Arabic desserts, she created what would become the first version of the treat by combining pistachio paste with kadayif dough, filo pastry strands that add a crunch. The finishing touch? A milk chocolate coating.

As fate would have it, that homemade idea turned into a business project: the brand FIX Dessert Chocolatier , which quickly won over the chocoholics of Dubai with its Can't Get Knafeh of It bar.

Until recently, this product was exclusive to the Arab Emirates, but its popularity on social media has made it cross borders - and it is now a trend in Spain. Influencers and content creators have made a sizeable contribution to the treat's international reach. Pastelería Sham, specialising in Syrian-Lebanese pastries in Madrid, was one of the first to replicate the recipe in Spain. Moreover, in recent months, several supermarkets have joined the trend, helping to unleash the craze.

Here are a few suggestions to try it in Malaga:

At the end of March Lidl aroused excitement by launching a 'low cost' Dubai chocolate bar under the J. D. Gross brand, priced at 4.49 euros. Almost magically, they disappeared from shelves as soon as the supermarkets opened their doors, to the frustration of many customers who took to social media to complain that there were too few bars in store. It was also a short-lived sale limited to three days - although in most stores they sold out within hours (or minutes).

In Malaga, it is now possible to find this viral variety of chocolate bar in the Lindt shop in the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet . The Swiss firm is jumping on the bandwagon with its Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate. A product, they said is "inspired by the viral trend of pistachio and kadayif flavours designed to satisfy the most demanding palates".

Lindt's bar combines milk chocolate with 45% pistachio. "The almond and pistachio provide an intense nutty flavour, while the crunchy kadayif provides a unique texture," they said. It is priced at 9.99. It is currently out of stock, but the Lindt shop in Malaga said they are expecting a restock. "There is a boom with this chocolate. Every day, at all hours of the day, we get customers asking for it," they explained.

And another supermarket option: El Corte Inglés has added this viral phenomenon to its Gourmet Club catalogue. The 200g bar of the Beemax brand is sold at 16.50 euros.

"Dubai chocolate is one of the most sought-after products right now. It is a way of making this treat, originally from Dubai, which combines a traditional chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream mixed with kadayif noodles and a light touch of vanilla tahini, creating a very particular mix of softness and crunchiness," they explained.

It is on sale in Malaga and although it is currently sold out, it will be back. Meanwhile, at El Corte Inglés they point to an alternative way to satiate the craving: buying it by weight. They make it there every day in their prepared food area on the ground floor of the Malaga store (next to the entrance to the car park). The price per kilo is around 44 euros.

For strawberry lovers, La Fresería - Calle Sebastián Souvirón, 4 - includes Dubai chocolate among its novelties with its Fresas Dubai. It's a cup of their carefully selected Spanish strawberries covered in chocolate with hazelnut, pistachio cream, crunchy kadayif dough and pistachio crumble.

"Our new launch has been a success in Madrid, so we wanted it to be in all our shops," they said on their Instagram account. Its price: from 9 euros for a small portion.

At the end of January at Latteame - Calle San Juan de Letrán number 6, near Plaza de La Merced - they already sensed that a top seller was on the horizon. Shop owner Francesca Lamanna (a young Argentinian living in Malaga) did not hesitate to add Dubai chocolate to their breakfast and snack menus.

"We were one of the first to make biscuits of this variety, nobody had thought of it before," she said.

Her cookies - with vegan and gluten-free options - are made at weekends and sell for 5 euros. Their success was "amazing". So much so that they have added more options linked to the trend: from a pistachio and kadayif brownie with Belgian chocolate - which they make daily and charge 5.60 euros per portion - to cheesecake or croffles (desserts crossed between a croissant and a waffle) with this viral mixture as a topping.

In the coming weeks, Francesca is also anticipating a new addition: "We are going to make our famous 'coffee in a biscuit' with Dubai chocolate. We think it's going to be a big hit because everything pistachio is going like crazy," she added.

La Cheesquería also surrendered to Dubai chocolate and dedicated its cookie of the month to it. The chain specialising in cheesecakes decided to take up the baton of the viral treat and offer its customers the chance to try it in biscuit format.

The product - available in its four shops in Malaga city, located in Carretería, Mayorazgo, Avenida Pío Baroja and Avenida Plutarco - is sold for 3.50 euros a piece. They said: "They are big and filling."

"Right now there is a boom with this variety of chocolate, which has become the star trend of the year, so we have included it in our menu and, if it is successful - as it already is - it will stay," they said.

Caramello Salato (located at Calle Carretería, 20-22) is another Malaga establishment that always is taking part in the new explosive social media trends. In this case they do it threefold by offering three new alternatives on their menu: the Tarta Habibi, the Croissant Dubai (available on weekends and served with a small mug of hot chocolate on the side) and at Easter they even added a special pistachio torrija in honour of the viral chocolate.

"Come and taste a piece of luxury without leaving Malaga," they announced on their Instagram account. "Since we brought them out they have been among the top best sellers, they are always sold out and we limit sale per person," they explained.

Predictably, Malaga's ice cream parlours have also taken up the trend, incorporating the viral flavour into their new season's offerings. Here are five establishments already selling Dubai chocolate ice cream:

Mederrito (Calle Franz Kafka, 9, en Puerto de la Torre)

This ice cream parlour in Puerto de la Torre, opened 15 months ago, was one of the first to include the flavour.

"I liked the story, the fact that it was created by a pregnant woman with a craving, and also its Arab influence, which ultimately connects with our roots," said Rocco Totino, owner of the business.

The Italian ice cream maker aimed to recreate the original bar also in its presentation. "We use a very smooth milk chocolate and then the tub is mounted with eight layers of pure pistachio filling, kadayif dough baked with butter and sesame seed paste. Topped with salt flakes, chocolate and decorated with gold leaf and white chocolate with different shades of colouring like the original bar". It costs 3.30 euros for a small tub.

"The first day we made it, it sold out in hours. We will make it available again because it has been a great success," he added.

Bajocero (Camino de Colmenar, 30. Fuente Olletas)

"Since we opened the season on 28 February, we started with this trend, which is really taking the place by storm," they said.

For a month and a half its Dubai chocolate ice cream has not fallen off the podium of the best sellers, "along with our new sour gummy flavour that we have also incorporated this year", they explained.

"It's amazing. We get through about 18 litres a day." Their addition has milk chocolate cream and a layer of crunchy pistachio with kadayif paste with a coating simulating a bar. The price is 4.20 euros for a medium tub and 2.70 euros for a small cone.

Frágola (calle Jerez Perchet, 14. Ciudad Jardín)

Ignacio Gil, owner of Frágola ice cream parlour, described the craze as "an impressive success". In his case, they have two versions: white and dark. And a third alternative for those with a sweet tooth - ideal for sharing - "something that no one else has done and which is working wonders," he said. It is a kind of large white chocolate flan filled with pistachio (like a volcano cake) and bathed in pistachio cream.

"More than 50 of them are sold every day, it's a dessert that's really catching on," he said. It costs 10.90 euros and can be shared between 4 people. "Pistachio is having a total revolution, just like the lotus biscuit flavour had years ago. We have to make the most of it and that's what we're doing," added Gil.

Lucciano's (with three shops in Malaga: Calle Córdoba, 1; Calle Méndez Núñez, 4; and Plaza Mayor en Alfonso Ponce de León, 3).

The prestigious Argentinian ice cream chain has also surrendered to the success of Dubai chocolate, "the most viral flavour in the world," as they highlighted on their social media. Their ice cream is made from "the best Belgian chocolate, veined with pistachio - with raw ingredients from Sicily - and a crunchy coating that emulates kadayif," they explained. For the moment it has arrived in Barcelona storefronts, although the aim is to bring it to Malaga as well.

Heladería Tutti Frutti (calle Tomás Escalonilla, 5. In Bailén-Miraflores)

Another option to try Dubai chocolate ice cream is in the Bailén-Miraflores area. At Tutti Frutti they have everything from tubs and cones with the trendy flavour (3.30 euros for a small one). Alongside their original, appetising ice-cream cakes featuring the viral confectionary.