Why Does Dubai Chocolate Have a Stringy Texture? Explained
The stringy, crunchy, and “ASMR-worthy” texture of Dubai Chocolate—specifically the viral “Can’t Get Knafeh of It”bar—is primarily caused by the inclusion of Kataifi, a traditional Middle Eastern pastry made of shredded phyllo dough. When these thin, noodle-like strands are toasted in butter and folded into a thick mixture of pistachio cream and tahini, they create a distinct structural “pull.” The “stringiness” isn’t like melted cheese or caramel; rather, it is a mechanical fibrous texture where the crisp pastry strands are suspended in a velvety nut butter, creating a satisfying contrast between the snap of the outer chocolate shell and the fibrous, gooey interior.
The Anatomy of the Viral Sensation
To understand why Dubai chocolate (originally popularized by Fix Dessert Chocolatier) behaves the way it does, we have to look past the chocolate shell. The “Dubai Bar” isn’t a solid block of cocoa; it is essentially a stuffed confectionary.
The magic happens in the filling. While most Western chocolates use ganache, caramel, or nougat, the Dubai bar uses a specific combination of Mediterranean ingredients that haven’t been seen in mainstream global confectionery at this scale.
1. The Role of Kataifi (The “Strings”)
The most critical component is Kataifi. If you’ve ever had Baklava or Knafeh, you’ve seen this ingredient. It is made by drizzling a thin batter onto a rotating heated metal plate, resulting in long, hair-like filaments of dough.
- The Preparation: In the Dubai Bar, these strands are chopped and sautéed in high-quality butter until they turn golden brown.
- The Physics of the Pull: Because these are individual strands of cooked starch, they don’t dissolve. When you bite into the chocolate or pull it apart, these strands stay intact, creating that “stringy” appearance that looks almost like pulled sugar or fiber.
2. Pistachio Cream and Tahini (The “Glue”)
The strands alone would just be a crunchy mess. To get that “ooze,” the toasted Kataifi is mixed with:
- Pistachio Cream: A smooth, fatty, and slightly sweet nut butter.
- Tahini: A toasted sesame paste that adds a hint of bitterness and “runniness” to the texture.
When the stringy Kataifi meets the liquid pistachio cream, the cream fills the gaps between the strands. This creates a capillary action—the cream clings to the “strings,” so when you break the bar, the filling stretches and hangs together rather than just crumbling.
Why Texture Matters: The Science of “Mouthfeel”
The obsession with the Dubai bar isn’t just about the flavor (which is essentially a nutty, buttery chocolate); it’s about multisensory perception.
The Contrast Principle
Human brains are wired to find “contrasting textures” highly palatable. Food scientists call this Dynamic Contrast.
- The Snap: The tempered dark or milk chocolate provides a hard, brittle outer layer.
- The Crunch: The butter-fried Kataifi provides a sharp, audible crunch.
- The Cream: The pistachio paste provides a smooth, fatty finish that coats the tongue.
This “stringy” texture acts as a bridge between the solid chocolate and the liquid cream. It gives your teeth something to work through, extending the time the flavors sit on your palate.
How to Achieve the Perfect “Stringy” Pull at Home
If you are trying to recreate the Fix Dessert Chocolatier experience, the texture is where most people fail. Here is the technical breakdown of how to get that stringy interior.
Step 1: The Butter-to-Kataifi Ratio
If you use too little butter, the dough strands will be dry and brittle—they’ll snap like crackers rather than feeling like “strings.” You need enough fat to coat every strand, which keeps them flexible enough to “pull” when mixed with the cream.
Step 2: Avoiding “Soggy” Strands
A common mistake is adding the pistachio cream while the Kataifi is still hot or adding too much liquid. If the moisture content is too high, the pastry strands will absorb the liquid and turn into a mushy paste. To keep the “stringy” definition, the strands must remain crispy.
Step 3: The Tahini Secret
Professional makers often add a higher ratio of tahini than people realize. Tahini has a unique viscosity; it is thinner than peanut butter but thicker than oil. This allows the filling to flow without being watery.
Cultural Roots: From Knafeh to Chocolate
The “stringiness” isn’t an accident—it’s a tribute to Knafeh, perhaps the most beloved dessert in the Arab world.
Traditional Knafeh uses a base of stretchy Nabulsi cheese topped with Kataifi. When you lift a slice of Knafeh, the cheese provides a literal stringy pull. The Dubai Chocolate bar is essentially a “portable, shelf-stable” reimagining of this experience. Since you can’t put fresh, hot cheese inside a chocolate bar (it would spoil and ruin the chocolate’s temper), the creators substituted the “cheese pull” with a “pistachio-cream-and-fiber pull.”
Is the Texture Sustainable?
One question many users have is: Why does the chocolate lose its stringy crunch after a few days?
This comes down to water activity. Even in a fat-based filling like pistachio cream, there is a tiny amount of moisture. Over time, the crispy Kataifi strands will undergo “staling” as they migrate moisture from the cream into the starch of the pastry.
- Pro Tip: This is why the viral bars are best eaten fresh. If you store them in the fridge, the fats in the cream harden, and the “stringy” pull disappears, replaced by a solid, waxy bite. To restore the texture, the bar should be eaten at room temperature.
Why is it so “ASMR-Friendly”?
The stringy texture is the primary reason why this chocolate took over TikTok and Instagram.
- Visual “The Pull”: When the bar is snapped, the pistachio-soaked fibers stretch. It’s visually similar to a “cheese pull” on a pizza.
- Auditory “The Crunch”: The sound of thousands of tiny fried dough strings breaking at once creates a high-frequency crackle that microphones pick up perfectly.
Ingredients Breakdown: What’s Inside?
To understand the texture, you have to look at the ingredient list of a high-end Dubai Chocolate bar:
| Ingredient | Role in Texture |
| Couverture Chocolate | The “snap” and the structural container. |
| Kataifi (Phyllo) | The “strings” and the primary crunch. |
| Clarified Butter (Ghee) | Provides the golden crispness to the strands. |
| Pistachio Spread | The “ooze” and the lubricant for the strings. |
| Tahini | Adjusts the flow and adds a nutty earthiness. |
| Vanillin/Salt | Enhances the perception of the other textures. |
The Verdict: Why is it Stringy?
Ultimately, Dubai chocolate has a stringy texture because it is a hybrid dessert. It is half-pastry and half-confectionery. By introducing a shredded wheat-style element (Kataifi) into a fat-rich environment (pistachio butter), the makers created a “composite material” that mimics the structural properties of fiber.
It’s not just a candy bar; it’s an architectural feat of Middle Eastern ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I use vermicelli instead of Kataifi?
A: You can, but it won’t be the same. Vermicelli is made from rice or hard wheat and is much denser. It provides a “hard” crunch rather than the light, stringy “shatter” of Kataifi.
Q: Why is my Dubai chocolate filling runny?
A: This usually happens if the ratio of pistachio cream is too high or if the filling hasn’t been allowed to set. The filling should be a thick paste, not a liquid.
Q: Is the stringy part safe to eat?
A: Absolutely! It is simply toasted flour and water (pastry), a staple of Mediterranean baking for centuries.
