Dubai chocolate in hand 3

We Tried the Viral Dubai Chocolate, It’s Worth the Hype

Ben McKimm
By Ben McKimm - News

Published:

Readtime: 6 min

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If your TikTok feed hasn’t already blessed you with the tempting, tantalising and drool-worthy Dubai chocolate bar, it will most likely pop up next time you find yourself doom-scrolling, which can be good or bad. Good, because its deliciousness seems to ooze from the screen. Bad, because after seeing it, all you want to do is devour it, which isn’t as easy as it seems. Luckily, we got to try it in our latest episode of Monday Munchies, which means we can decode everything there is to know about the viral Dubai chocolate and tell you whether it’s worth the hype (and calories).

Fix dessert bar dubai chocolate
Dubai Chocolate | Image: Instagram / @fixdessertchocolatier

What is Dubai Chocolate?

The viral Dubai chocolate is a thick (sometimes oozing) chocolate bar that’s about the size small brick. Depending on the type of Dubai chocolate you choose, it’s filled with a bright green, crispy kataifi, pistachio and tahini paste filling. Essentially, it’s kataifi and chocolate in a bar, sometimes filled with pistachio.

Like a Mars Bar, the pistachio filling is encased in a milk chocolate shell, with a shimmery gold or green dusting that makes it both pretty and expensive looking.

It’s said that the inspiration behind the bar came from iconic regional desserts such as baklava and Knafeh.

Who Invented Dubai Chocolate?

Dubai chocolate seemingly appeared out of nowhere, and we’ve done some digging to find out exactly where it came from. It was originally invented by a Dubai mum named Sarah Hamouda, a budding self-made dessert entrepreneur who set up her business, FIX Dessert Chocolatier, as a humble side hustle while she was on maternity leave during COVID.

It was during this time that Hamouda conceived a delicious, chocolate dessert. One that would go on to become perhaps one of the world’s most viral chocolates to date.

Dubai chocolate piece
Dubai Chocolate | Image: Ben McKimm / Man of Many

Why is Everyone Obsessed with Dubai Chocolate?

Now that we’ve tried Dubai Chocolate, we can see the hype behind it. We were sucked in by the millions of views that these taste-test videos were getting online, but there’s substance here.

The hype behind Dubai Chocolate started to build when famous TikTok foodie Maria Vehera posted a video that received more than 100 million views. “The game-changer was definitely that viral ASMR TikTok video by Maria Vehera,” said founder Sarah Hamouda in an interview with news.com.au. Interestingly, the video was posted on the 19th of December 2023, but the hype is still real, and we’ve only had a chance to try Dubai Chocolate in Australia recently.

We believe the allure behind Dubai Chocolate comes from the passion people have for a sweet treat, the flavour combination, and the attractive packaging and gold finish.

In Australia, Dubai Chocolate has followed the acai trend, with so many of these spots now doubling down on the hype and stocking it in their stores. To be honest, we didn’t know anything about the sweet treat until we started following the acai trend. Now, it’s everywhere and we can see why.

Testing dubai chocolate
Dubai Chocolate | Image: Ben McKimm / Man of Many

What Does Dubai Chocolate Taste Like?

  • Flavour: Milk chocolate, phyllo pastry, and depending on flavour choice, pistachio
  • Texture: Creamy and crunchy
  • Unique features: Phyllo pastry (similar to Knafeh)

We purchased our block of Dubai Chocolate for AUD$25 from an acai spot near our office, and we had no idea what to expect. Surprisingly, the bar we bought wasn’t filled with pistachio, which was disappointing, so keep an eye out for that when you’re buying yours. Our block was only filled with thin strands of phyllo pastry (the same as you’ll find in Knafeh) and wrapped in milk chocolate.

The chocolate itself was very good, similar to a premium brand of Australian chocolate such as Koko Black or Cadbury. However, it was the contrasting textures that stood out the most.

Our best comparison would be to Chocolate Crackles, the same kind that most Australian kids eat at birthday parties. Dubai Chocolate is crunchy, like a rice bubble, but coated in milk chocolate that seems to melt as soon as it hits your mouth.

Notably, the gold colour on the outside does nothing to the flavour, and it appears to only be a visual add-on.

Is it worth the hype? Yes, even though our bar was devoid of the pistachio filling we loved every bite. The balance of premium chocolate and interplay with creamy and crunchy textures make it a must-try at around AUD$25. It’s a sweet treat that has a distinct taste and fuses traditional Middle Eastern flavours with contemporary methods. It’s unlike anything else we’ve tried before, and everyone in the office wanted a bite.

Dubai chocolate in hand
Dubai Chocolate | Image: Ben McKimm / Man of Many

Where Can You Buy Dubai Chocolate in Australia?

Replica Dubai Chocolate is available at acai stores in most Australian cities, but they’re still relatively hard to get your hands on. No, you won’t find Dubai Chocolate at your local Coles or Woolworths.

Next to their local acai store, those in Australia who want to try Dubai Chocolate can also buy it online from specialty food stores or dessert shops such as Fruitezy (AUD$25) or Sweet As (AUD$29.95). However, patience is key because most of these products are homemade, and the stores have very long wait times. It’s also very expensive, so you can treat it as a luxury, not an everyday affair.

Remember, there’s only one place in the world where you can try the original Dubai Chocolate, and that’s FIX Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai which sells the product exclusively on Deliveroo. However, it’s very popular, and there’s a limit of six blocks per order if you plan to purchase overseas on your way back to your home country.

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Ben McKimm

Journalist - Automotive & Tech

Ben McKimm

Ben lives in Sydney, Australia. He has a Bachelor's Degree (Media, Technology and the Law) from Macquarie University (2020). Outside of his studies, he has spent the last decade heavily involved in the automotive, technology and fashion world. Turning his ...