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Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Brownies

Easy Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Brownies

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Brownies are rich, fudgy brownies layered with silky pistachio cream, crispy golden kataifi, and a smooth chocolate topping. A decadent Middle Eastern twist on classic brownies.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 6 brownies

Ingredients
  

  • For the Brownies:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips good quality
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
  • ½ cup unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour sifted
  • cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • For the Pistachio Cream/Kataifi Layer:
  • 1 ⅓ cups 67g kataifi, chopped and separated
  • 1 ½ tablespoons 22g butter
  • ¾ cup 210g pistachio cream
  • 1 tablespoon 16g tahini
  • Pinch of salt
  • For the Chocolate Layer:
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • For the Pistachio Drizzle:
  • About 2 tablespoons pistachio cream

Instructions
 

  • For the brownies: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Lightly spray the parchment and set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and 2 tablespoons chocolate chips. Melt in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until smooth. Stir in the granulated and brown sugar. Mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in the vanilla. Add the salt and cocoa powder and stir until almost incorporated, then sift in the flour and fold together — do not overmix. Gently fold in the 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Spread evenly into the pan and bake 23 to 25 minutes, until no longer jiggly in the middle and just set. Don't overbake. Cool on a wire rack slightly. For the pistachio/kataifi layer: While the brownies bake, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the kataifi and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and crispy (about 10 minutes). Set aside to cool. In a bowl, mix the pistachio cream, tahini, and salt until smooth, then stir in the toasted, cooled kataifi. Spread evenly over the slightly cooled brownies. For the chocolate layer: Melt the butter and 1 cup chocolate chips together until smooth (stovetop over medium, or microwave in 20-second bursts). Pour over the pistachio/kataifi layer and spread evenly. Drizzle pistachio cream over the top using a squeeze bottle or a storage bag with a corner cut; if too thick, warm it 10 to 14 seconds first. Chill in the fridge at least 1 hour, until the chocolate is firm (up to 4 hours or overnight). Slice into squares, using a large sharp knife and wiping the blade between cuts for clean slices.

Notes

Kataifi (kadayif) is finely shredded phyllo dough — pre-roasted shredded kataifi makes it even easier. Use pistachio cream, not pistachio nut butter. To prevent the layers from separating, cool the brownies only slightly (not completely) before adding the pistachio layer, and gently press it into the base. A thin Dubai layer usually points to pan size or measuring, so use an 8x8 pan; add extra kataifi for more crunch. Make ahead by storing the brownies and the kataifi-pistachio mixture separately, then assembling and adding the chocolate a couple of hours before serving. Brownies can sit at room temperature a few hours; store tightly covered in the fridge up to 5 days. Easter variation: shape the pistachio-kataifi mixture into nests, cut the chocolate-topped brownies into 9 squares, add a nest, crushed Oreo "dirt," and mini Cadbury eggs to each.