Dubai’s Chocolate Knafeh Craze: How One Bar Took Over the TikTok
From Nostalgia to Global Fame
The star of this story is Sarah Hamouda, a British-Egyptian entrepreneur and dessert enthusiast based in Dubai. In 2021, while pregnant with her first child, Sarah began experimenting with chocolate creations in her kitchen. Inspired by her love for Middle Eastern desserts and fueled by homesickness, she founded Fix Dessert Chocolatier—a brand that would soon give birth to a global icon.
Her creation, cheekily named “Can’t Get Knafeh of It,” is exactly what it sounds like: a bar of smooth milk chocolate filled with a luscious pistachio cream and crispy, golden-baked knafeh—the beloved Levantine dessert made from shredded phyllo dough and sugar syrup. One bite is a crunchy, creamy, chocolatey explosion of flavor. And it caught fire.
The Sweet Sound of Virality
In December 2023, a TikTok user unwrapped the bar on camera. The golden shell cracked open to reveal its bright green pistachio interior, and the crisp knafeh made a perfect ASMR crunch. That video went on to rack up millions of views, and within days, Fix Dessert Chocolatier had more orders than they could handle. The bar wasn’t just trending—it was selling out across the UAE and beyond.
People began flying boxes overseas, stocking them in fridges like rare artifacts. And as replicas popped up in bakeries from Toronto to Cairo, it became clear: this was no passing trend. This was a new chapter in dessert history.
Why It Works : A Fusion of Culture and Indulgence
What makes the Knafeh Pistachio Chocolate Bar so special isn’t just its viral fame, it’s the flavors it brings together. Knafeh is a dessert steeped in Middle Eastern tradition, often served warm and soaked in orange blossom syrup. Pistachio is a classic pairing in Levantine sweets. And chocolate? Well, that’s the universal language of love.
By wrapping these regional flavors in a silky chocolate bar, Sarah created more than a dessert: She created a bridge between cultures. It’s a bite-sized symbol of modern Dubai: diverse, daring, and always ready to surprise you.
A Trend That’s Just Getting Started
Since its viral debut, Fix Dessert Chocolatier has expanded its offerings, launching limited-edition bars, Ramadan gift boxes, and international shipping. Meanwhile, other Dubai chocolatiers have begun exploring their own fusions—think saffron milk chocolate, baklava truffles, and rose-laced ganache.
What’s clear is that Dubai has firmly planted itself on the global chocolate map—not just as a consumer, but as an innovator.
And Here’s the Proof :
In a single glance, this TikTok feed shows just how far the Dubai chocolate bar has gone. Influencers from around the world are unwrapping it, recreating it, or simply reacting in blissful silence as they take that first bite. Phrases like “Tablette de Dubaï”, “Buzz de Dubaï”, and “I get the hype” now accompany chocolate posts viewed by tens of millions of users.
Some are trying homemade versions. Others are filming taste tests. Many can’t believe the bar lives up to its hype—until they try it themselves.
Final Bite
From a home kitchen to international headlines, the story of Dubai’s Knafeh Pistachio Chocolate Bar is more than just a sweet success. It’s a celebration of heritage, creativity, and the kind of food that brings people together.
So if you ever find yourself in Dubai, don’t leave without a taste of this iconic creation. Trust us—you won’t be able to get knafeh of it either.
Sources :
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2435566/lifestyle
https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/food/2024/01/12/viral-chocolate-knafeh-ba r/
https://www.timeoutdubai.com/news/chocolate-knafeh-bar-dubai-viral
https://gulfnews.com/food/dubais-fix-dessert-chocolatier-goes-global-with-knafeh-bar
