Kataifi (also spelled kadayif or kunafa dough) is a shredded phyllo pastry that looks like fine, thin noodles. It's used across the Middle East, Turkey and Greece in desserts like knafeh. When it's toasted in butter until golden, it turns crisp, and that's the crunch inside the viral Dubai chocolate bar.
What does kataifi taste like?
On its own, it tastes like a light, buttery pastry. Its job is texture: thousands of thin strands that shatter when you bite them. Paired with smooth pistachio cream, it creates the creamy-crunchy contrast that made Dubai chocolate famous.
Where do you find kataifi?
Raw kataifi is usually sold frozen or refrigerated at Middle Eastern and Mediterranean grocery stores, and online. It needs to be toasted before you use it in chocolate. Chocbox chocolate bar kits and Dubai Dips already include crispy kataifi, so there's nothing to toast.
How kataifi is used at Chocbox
- Dubai Dip: pistachio cream and tahini with crispy shredded kataifi, ready to eat from the jar.
- Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch: chocolate hazelnut cream packed with crispy kataifi.
- Pistachio Knafeh chocolate bar kit: make the stuffed Dubai bar yourself with a reusable mold.
Is kataifi gluten-free?
No. Kataifi is made from wheat flour, so it contains gluten. Always check product labels for full allergen information.
