Looking for a simple yet stunning dessert to impress your guests this festive season? Give Dubai Chocolate Kataifi Pistachio Tiramisu a try! This fusion tiramisu is a fun twist on the popular chocolate treat from Dubai. It is served in individual cups, making it a fantastic choice for parties, gatherings, and potlucks.

Dubai chocolate kataifi pistachio tiramisu in a small cup.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Make ahead
Storage
Top tip
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Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Kataifi Tiramisu

I'm absolutely passionate about creating fusion desserts! It's all about pushing the limits of traditional flavors and infusing creativity and joy into every delicious bite. Over the years, I've had the pleasure of sharing a variety of mouthwatering fusion dessert recipes, like the tantalizing Rasmalai tres leches cake, the decadent gulab jamun cheesecake, the enchanting Rose falooda cake, and the lovely shrikhand tart, among others.

Today, I'm so excited to unveil my latest creation: a tantalizing dessert, Dubai Chocolate Kataifi Pistachio Tiramisu, that beautifully marries the classic Italian tiramisu with the rich, luxurious flavors of Dubai chocolate.

This decadent Dubai Chocolate Kunafa tiramisu begins with a layer of Indian cookies (called rusks) that are soaked in a rich coffee syrup. Next, it features a creamy layer made with mascarpone cheese and a hint of cardamom for extra flavor. Inspired by a popular chocolate bar from Dubai, the dessert also includes a smooth pistachio cream and some crunchy toasted pastry, adding a lovely nutty taste and a satisfying crunch. It's topped with chopped pistachios and a rich chocolate ganache, finished with a light dusting of cocoa powder and more chopped pistachios, making it not only tasty but also beautiful to look at!

Serve it at the end of a Diwali dinner party, and you’ll notice everyone pausing to fully enjoy that first satisfying bite. It’s sure to steal the spotlight!

Ingredients

Kataif – Kataifi is a special type of pastry made from very thin strands of a dough called phyllo. This dough is commonly used in desserts from the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. Unlike regular phyllo that comes in flat sheets, kataifi is shaped into fine, hair-like pieces, giving it a unique look and texture. When you toast it in butter, it tastes amazing! You can find kataifi in Middle Eastern grocery stores or in the freezer section of many supermarkets. I picked mine up from a nearby restaurant.
Butter: This is used to toast the kataifi and enhance its flavor.
Pistachio Cream: Also called pistachio butter, it's made by blending pistachios with sugar and a little salt. You can find it on Amazon or in many grocery stores.
Rusks: In traditional tiramisu, ladyfinger cookies are used, but I chose Indian rusks instead since they don't have eggs. If you're okay with eggs, feel free to use ladyfingers!
Instant Coffee: This is used to soak the rusks for added flavor.
Cardamom: This spice adds a lovely warm flavor to the dessert.
Mascarpone Cheese: This creamy cheese is essential for making tiramisu.
Heavy Cream: This adds richness to the dessert.
Pistachios: Chopped pistachios are added for taste and a nice crunch.
Chocolate Ganache: I made this by mixing semi-sweet chocolate chips with heavy cream.
Cocoa Powder: A little dusting of cocoa powder on top completes the dish.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Roasting kataifi in butter. then adding pistachio cream in roasted kataifi.

Step 1: Take the Kataifi pastry out of the fridge at least 2 hours before you plan to use it. This allows it to reach room temperature. Once it's thawed, chop it into smaller pieces. Melt some butter in a pan, then add the chopped Kataifi. toast it on a low to medium heat until it turns golden brown. After toasting, put it in a bowl and mix it well with pistachio cream. Set this mixture aside for later.

Step 2: Put chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat up some cream over medium heat until it starts to simmer gently. Be careful not to let it boil quickly. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. This helps to soften the chocolate. Then, use a spoon or spatula to stir it slowly until everything is smooth and well mixed. Let it cool down.

Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, add mascarpone cheese and use a hand blender with a whisk attachment to beat it until it’s creamy and fluffy. Add in some cardamom powder and granulated sugar, and using a hand blender with a whisk attachment, mix until combined. The mixture might look a little grainy, which is normal. Now, add heavy cream to the same bowl and whisk it until stiff peaks form; it should take about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to over-whisk, or it may curdle. Set this mixture aside.

Step 4: Make a ½ cup of strong coffee using your preferred method. For a quick option, mix 1 tablespoon of instant coffee with half a cup of boiling water. Stir and keep it aside.

Step 5: Cut the rusks to match the size of your serving cups. Dip each rusk in the coffee for about 15-20 seconds, ensuring both sides are soaked, then place them at the bottom of your serving glass.

Assembling Dubai chocolate kataifi tiramisu.

Step 6: Then add a layer of the mascarpone cream mixture on top of the rusks. Follow this with a layer of chocolate ganache, some chopped pistachios, and the toasted Kataifi pistachio mixture. Add one more layer of the mascarpone cream on top. Dust the top with cocoa powder and decorate it with finely chopped pistachios and rose petals if you like.

Let the dessert chill in the refrigerator for about 4 to 5 hours before serving. It tastes even better the next day.

Make ahead

You can prepare some parts of this dessert ahead of time. Make the instant coffee, mascarpone filling, chocolate ganache, and the kataifi-pistachio filling. Store it in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days before you plan to put everything together. When you’re ready to assemble, take the chocolate ganache out of the fridge about an hour beforehand to let it warm up a bit. Then assemble it.

Storage

Once you've put the tiramisu together, you can cover it and keep it in the fridge for up to four days.

Top tip

To create this delicious dessert, the key step is to toast the kataifi until it becomes a beautiful golden brown. This process takes a little time and attention, so make sure to keep an eye on the pan while it cooks.
For serving, I used 5-ounce dessert cups, which allowed me to prepare 7 servings. However, the number of servings can change based on the size of the cups you choose and how you layer the dessert. If you use smaller cups, you'll have more servings, while using larger cups will result in fewer servings.
If you prefer, you can also make this dessert in a single pan instead of individual cups. I suggest using an 8×8-inch pan for this method, but you’ll need to use more rusks and more instant coffee in that case.
This tiramisu can be made ahead of time, and I recommend preparing it a day or two in advance for the best results. If you need to make it on the same day you’ll be serving it, just remember to chill it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours before enjoying it.