The viral Dubai Chocolate—a decadent chocolate bar stuffed with shredded and toasted crunchy katafi pastry mixed with rich pistachio cream—has taken social media by storm, and while it’s absolutely delicious I thought it would be even more fun to stuff it in a chocolate chip cookie-because why not?
Katafi/Katafi
Kataifi is a pastry made of thin, shredded phyllo dough, which is often used in Middle Eastern desserts. It’s typically crispy and can be shaped into nests or rolls, filled with nuts, and soaked in syrup. One of the most popular middle eastern desserts made with katafi is kunefa or kunafa. A delicious roasted cheese topped with crispy katafi and drenched in a sugar syrup.
For this recipe, chop up the katafi into really small pieces and toast it in butter until it’s perfectly golden brown and crunchy. Make sure to toast it very well and evenly. If the katafi is not completely golden brown (almost dark brown) it will go soft once it is mixed with the pistachio cream.
When the katafi is truly golden brown, it will add a delicious crunchy texture to the cookie once stuffed inside! This filling can also be utilized in many different ways-like on top of a cake, mixed into a ganache, or even stuffed into cinnamon rolls.
Pistachio cream
Once the katafi is ready, mix it with pistachio cream; a decadent, nutty spread made by blending pistachios with sugar, oil, and sometimes cream. It has a smooth, buttery texture and a vibrant green color that makes it not only delicious but also visually appealing. You can make it at home, but it’s much easier to use readymade. Mix the pistachio cream with the katafi and your filling it ready!
Traditionally, the pistachio cream is also mixed with a little tahini-a smooth, nutty, and savory sesame seed paste. However I find this is not truly necessary and the filling will still be very delicious without it.
Chocolate Chip Cookie
You can use any chocolate chip cookie recipe for this—it’s just a delivery parcel for the real treat (the crunchy katafi pistachio cream filling).
My basic chocolate chip cookie is a simple mixture of white sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, eggs, butter, flour, and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.
To make the cookie I first combine the white sugar with the brown sugar. Then I add in the baking soda and eggs and mix well. Once it reaches a wet sand texture I add the melted butter cooled down butter. You don’t want the butter to be too hot or it will cook the egg!
When the butter is mixed in, add in the flour and fold in gently. Stop when there are still pockets of flour to avoid over mixing. Then add the chocolate chips—you can use whichever kind of chocolate chips you prefer but I really love mini milk or semi sweet chocolate chips for this—and finish folding in the dry ingredients.
Now your cookie dough is ready!
Assembling the Cookies
Mix together the cookie ingredients to make a dough.
Place a ball of dough in the palm of your hand and flatten it a bit before before placing a tablespoon of katafi stuffing in the middle. Make sure to leave a little space around the edges to trap the filling inside.
Flatten another chunk of cookie dough over the top. Pinch the edges of the cookie closed to seal in the Katafi filling in the center.
Baking the cookies
Freeze the cookies for 20 minutes or longer so they hold their shape better once baked and don’t spread out too much.
After 20 minutes, place cookies on a parchment sheet lined baking tray 2-3 inches apart. These are large cookies so they need room! Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn golden brown.
Let it cool slightly before breaking in! They’re delicious on their own, with a glass of milk, or with some tea or coffee. Enjoy!
Variations
Katafi has recently gained popularity in the mainstream due to the newly famous Dubai chocolate paired with pistachio cream.
However, the light and crunchy toasted Katafi can be delicious with many other creams too! Some variations to try are
- Chocolate hazelnut spread
- Cookie butter
- Strawberry cream
And pretty much any other cream flavors you can get your hands on!
Ingredients
Makes: 20 large cookies
Time: 1 hour
For the Stuffing
- 8 oz katafi, chopped
- 1 stick butter
- 1 7 oz can pistachio cream
For the Cookie
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 sticks butter
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 4 tsp baking soda (sifted)
- 2 cups mini semi sweet chocolate chips
Directions
- Toast the chopped katafi in butter until golden brown, mixing regularly to prevent burning and brown evenly
- Add crunchy katafi to a bowl and mix with pistachio cream. Set aside
- To make the cookie dough mix sugar, egg, and melted but cooled butter together before adding baking soda. Mixing again, then add flour and cornstarch. Mix gently before adding chocolate chips and mix a final time until incorporated
- Place a wad of cookie dough in your palm and flatten gently. Place a tablespoon of katafi filling inside and close with another wad of cookie dough. Seal the edges
- Place all prepared cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes before baking at 350° for 20 minutes
- Cool slightly before serving and enjoy!
Conclusion
This chocolate chip cookie version of the viral Dubai chocolate bar was truly a treat.
The incredible CRUNCH from the toasted buttery Katafi mixed with the perfectly sweet but almost savory pistachio cream is absolutely decadent and addicting and is delicious even on its own.
Honestly the chocolate chip cookie felt more like a carrier just for the delicious filling.
I look forward to trying the filling in different ways—like over ice cream or in a butter cookie, and of course in a chocolate bar 🙂
I hope you enjoy!