Learn how to make the best chocolate balls with kunefe and homemade pistachio cream. A version of the viral Dubai chocolate bar, these no bake pistachio chocolate balls are even better! Made from scratch, this decadent treat is perfect for any occasion - especially Christmas! Be sure to check out my other delightful twist, this Dubai chocolate pistachio cake.
These no bake pistachio choco balls have everything you could ask for:
✓ Double chocolate: Dark chocolate for coating and white chocolate in the pistachio filling.
✓ Amazing flavor: Pistachio butter mixed with melted white chocolate makes the most delicious pistachio cream. Paired with the dark chocolate it's almost addictive!
✓ Extra crunch: Kataifi pastry (also known as kunefe or knafeh) provides the most crunch you can imagine that lasts for days. Yes, these chocolate pistachio balls remain crunchy even after a week.
✓ Pistachio cream from scratch: Store-bought pistachio creams often contain a low percentage of pistachios, along with additives and hydrogenated fats. This homemade version is 50% pistachios and 50% white chocolate resulting in a rich, pure pistachio flavor.
If you love pistachios I bet you'll adore my real pistachio ice cream with a natural flavor enhancer and if you love chocolate please don't miss these Jumbo chocolate truffles because they're the best truffles you'll ever have (and very easy to make too!).
More chocolate recipes you'll love are these Chocolate truffle energy balls ( naturally sweetened with dates and vegan) and these Chewy olive oil and tahini chocolate chunk cookies.
📋 Chocolate Balls Ingredients
To make these Dubai chocolate balls with crunchy kunefe and pistachio cream, you'll need the following ingredients:
1. Dark chocolate: Preferably 55% - 65% cocoa.
2. Pistachio Butter: You can make your own by processing roasted pistachios or you can use store-bought. Just make sure that it's 100% pistachios. This article for homemade pistachio butter shows you how to make with peeled or unpeeled nuts.
✏️ Note: You can replace the natural pistachio butter and the white chocolate with store-bought pistachio cream, but make sure to use a good quality one (more details in the recipe card below).
3. Salt.
4. Butter.
5. Kataifi pastry or kunefe or knafeh (external link) is a type of pastry in the form of thin strands/threads.
6. White chocolate: You can use a white chocolate bar, white couverture or white chocolate chips. Just make sure that it's real chocolate, meaning that it doesn't contain any other fat except cocoa butter.
Optional: a small amount of vegetable oil such as avocado, sunflower or corn oil (not pictured). It makes the filling creamier, especially at temperatures below 75-77°F (24-25°C).
✏️ Note: Real white chocolate is made with cocoa butter, powdered milk, sugar and some vanilla (or vanillin). Any other kind that contains another type of fat (such as palm oil) is fake white chocolate and will not taste the same. For more information you can read the article "difference between real and fake white chocolate" (external link).
What is the difference between pistachio butter and pistachio cream?
Pistachio butter is the paste we get when we ground pistachio nuts. So natural pistachio butter is 100% pistachios. Pistachio cream is a sweet spread made with ground pistachios, sweeteners, some fat, and some times coloring (to give it a more intense green color).
🥣 Variations
With other nut butters: You can replace the pistachio butter with any other natural nut butter you like. Almond butter, hazelnut butter, peanut butter and tahini will work fine!
🔪 Instructions (Steps)
This is a quick guide for how to make no bake Dubai chocolate balls with pistachio cream and crunchy kataifi. For the detailed step-by-step instructions with photos, check out the recipe card at the end of this post-or watch the quick video just before the recipe!
1. Toast the Kataifi Pastry: Chop the kataifi into smaller pieces and fluff it thoroughly to separate the strands. In a pot over medium heat, toast it with butter until it turns golden brown and crispy.
2. Make the Pistachio Cream Filling: Melt the white chocolate and stir in the pistachio butter. Allow the mixture to cool and add the toasted kataifi to the pistachio and white chocolate mixture. Mix well until evenly combined.
3. Shape and Freeze: Form small balls from the pistachio-kataifi mixture, then freeze them until they're firm.
4. Coat with Chocolate: Dip the frozen balls into melted dark chocolate and place them on baking paper to set.
👨🍳 Expert Tips
✤ For a vibrant green pistachio butter, it's best to remove the pistachio skins. To do this, soak the nuts in hot water for 10 minutes, drain them well, and rub them gently with a clean kitchen towel to loosen the skins. That said, I rarely bother with peeling the pistachios. Contrary to popular belief, leaving the skins on doesn't affect the flavor or make the pistachio butter bitter-it only impacts the color, resulting in a less vivid green.
✤ To enhance the flavor of pistachio cream, you can add a pinch of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon orange zest, and 2-3 drops of almond extract. Be careful to not overdo it, because the flavors can overpower the delicate taste of pistachios.
✤ For a thicker coating (meaning a higher chocolate to filling ratio) double dip the balls in the melted chocolate.
✤ Handling Kataifi Pastry: Kataifi can be tricky to work with. Make sure to separate the strands before mixing with melted butter. Toast the kataifi pastry very well until it is deep golden brown. To avoid burning it (it's easier than you think) make sure to do this over medium heat while stirring constantly.
🍳 Similar Recipes
If you tried this Dubai Chocolate Balls Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
🎥Recipe Video
Please note that in the video below I'm making a larger batch because I'm using part of the filling for this Dubai chocolate pistachio cake.
📖 Recipe
Dubai Chocolate Balls with Pistachio Kunefe Filling
Ingredients
- 7 ounces (200 g) kataifi pastry (a.k.a. kunefe)
- ⅓ cups (75 g) butter
- 5.3 ounces (150 g) white chocolate
- 1.5 teaspoon neutral tasting vegetable oil (avocado, corn oil) (optional - it will make the filling creamier)
- 5.3 ounces (150 g) natural pistachio butter (or roasted and unsalted pistachio nuts - see note #1)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 14.1 ounces (400 g) dark chocolate (55-65% cocoa, melted and tempered -see note #2)
- 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios ( for decoration)
Instructions
- Chop the kataifi pastry into smaller pieces (approximately 1 inch/ 2.5 cm length) and fluff it thoroughly with your hands to separate the threads.
- Transfer the butter and the chopped kataifi in a pot over medium heat and toast, stirring constantly, until it turns golden brown and crispy. While toasting it, you can use two forks to further separate the threads in order to make it more crunchy. Let it cool completely.
- Transfer the white chocolate (and the oil - if using) to a heatproof bowl and melt it in the microwaves (in 10-15 second bursts) or in a double boiler. Stir in the pistachio butter and the salt, mix until combined and let the mixture to cool completely.
- Add the toasted kataifi to the pistachio cream and mix until evenly combined. If the mixture looks runny, refrigerate until firm.
- Form 16 small balls (approximately 1.1 ounce / 30 grams) from the pistachio-kataifi mixture, transfer them on a tray lined with parchment paper or wax paper and store in the freezer until firm.
- Using two forks, dip the frozen balls into the melted dark chocolate and roll until they're completely covered. Shake any excess chocolate and place them on the wax paper.Sprinkle with some chopped pistachios and let them set completely before transferring them to a serving plate.
Notes
- Seeding Method: Finely chop the chocolate for even melting. Place ⅔ of the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Melt it over a double boiler (or in short bursts in the microwave) until it reaches 115°F (46°C). Remove the bowl from heat and gradually add the remaining ⅓ of chopped chocolate, stirring constantly. This helps bring the temperature down to the working range 88-90°F (31-32°C).
- Alternatively to tempering, adding a small amount of coconut oil (or shortening) to the melted chocolate (about 2 teaspoons coconut oil per cup of chocolate) creates a smooth consistency and helps it set with some shine.
Natasha says
OMG! It's like mini Dubai chocolate bars which you can offer as a treat, what a great idea!
Makos says
Thank you so much Natasha!
Lindsey says
These are absolutely amazing and addicting! This may be one of my new all time favorite treats.
Makos says
Thank you so much Lindsey, I appreciate it so much!
Kimberley says
So bummed as they don't even stick together, had to fall back to making bars....followed the recipe to a t! any suggestions?
Makos says
Hi Kimberley, I’m sorry you had trouble with this recipe… can you clarify what you mean by they don’t stick together?
If the filling was crumbly, it probably was too cold. Let it warm a bit so that the mixture is pliable and a bit sticky.
Maria says
How would you warm if up to make if pliable? I am having rh same problem. Just seems dry and not creamy at all.
Makos says
Hi, it’s probably too cold. Warm it briefly in a microwave oven in 10 seconds increments, until you notice it starts to soften 😊
Pam says
They weren’t very easy to make but tasted delicious!
Natasha says
They required a lot of work but they are the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten
Nicky says
I was wondering, if I made the Pistachio cream with white chocolate ( as in the 2-ingredient Pistachio Cream). Do i still add in the extra 150g into the cream itself as part of the recipe? Thank you
Makos says
Hi Nicky, no you”ll just use 300grams of the 2-ingredient pistachio cream
Amelita Kofod says
Easy to follow, , my question is how can you enhance more the flavour & taste of pistachios ?
Makos says
Hi Amelita, in some of my my pistachio recipes such as pistachio cookies or pistachio cream cheese I use tiny amounts of vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest and almond extract to enhance the flavour because this aromatic blend complements the pistachio flavour.