A Dubai-Style Twist Gives Hot Chocolate A Decadent Upgrade

By nature, hot chocolate is a fairly decadent treat, as it's always warm, sweet, and chocolatey. Anyone who has sampled around the different varieties and preparations knows, however, that the degree of decadence can vary quite a bit. The richness of the base liquid and the strength of the chocolate both play major roles. To invite a whole new layer of luxury, consider taking a page from the viral side of the internet and dressing your mug up in the style of a Dubai chocolate bar.

For those who might've somehow missed the Dubai chocolate trend of the past few years, it is a specialty confection centered around a filling of bright green pistachio cream and crisp, toasted vermicelli-like kataifi. The Dubai chocolate bar was a viral sensation thanks not only to its intriguing flavor and texture, but also the vibrant color. It is a treat perfectly designed for the internet age, and one that has spawned countless recipes mimicking that combination of flavors.

There are many ways to bring the Dubai chocolate trend to the realm of hot chocolate, but we will start with the simplest. To mimic the flavor, all one needs to do is apply the signature filling to the outside of your mug. This entails coating the rim with something like this sweet Eastanbul Pistachio Cream and then dipping that into toasted dried kataifi. The contents of the mug can be an ultimate homemade hot chocolate recipe or simply a pouch of store-bought hot cocoa mix — either way it will deliver all of the signature Dubai chocolate flavors.

Of course, that is only the simplest method. For those dedicated to getting the best out of this treat, there are plenty of techniques to amp it up. There isn't much that can be done to increase the amount of kataifi in the drink, because that wonderful texture obviously wouldn't hold up anywhere except the rim. However, the pistachio is a different matter.

The simplest thing to do to add another layer of pistachio flavor is to dissolve a spoonful of the pistachio cream into the hot chocolate. Stirred into the warm milk, this thick and creamy spread adds both loads of flavor and some extra richness. But beyond transforming the hot chocolate with pistachio cream, you can also work pistachio right in the base of the drink as well. Rather than milk or water, consider making your hot chocolate with homemade pistachio milk for even more nuttiness.

With one or both of these additions, the Dubai-chocolate flavor will be plenty clear, but there are a few more ideas that could improve it further. A touch of cornstarch gives hot chocolate a certain silkiness, for example, creating a luscious texture without adding any extra fat. And, for adults, a splash of Dubai chocolate liqueur spikes the flavor. While all one needs for Dubai-style hot chocolate is kataifi and a bit of pistachio cream, for those who like it rich, there are plenty of options that turn the dial toward decadence.