From fattoush to falafel the Middle East has given us many culinary delights. The newest fare to come from the region is Dubai chocolate, a stuffed chocolate bar comprised of pistachio cream, tahini, and delicate shredded phyllo (also called knafeh), encased in a crispy chocolate shell.
In Baltimore, there are many riffs on the over-the-top confection, whether melted onto waffles at Little Italy’s Crave or tucked into crepes at Greektown’s Ruya.
“Within the span of a few years, we’ve seen it pop up everywhere from Starbucks to Baskin-Robbins and Harris Teeter,” says Markie Britton, co-founder of Federal Hill’s Ammoora. “It seems like it’s everywhere.”
And that includes Ammoora, where the Dubai Chocolate Crunch Bar has become a best-seller.
When Ammoora was looking to add to its sweets lineup, the pastry team was inspired by the Dubai dessert first created by Sarah Hamouda.
“Of course, Dubai does everything bigger and better,” says Britton. “Like many people, we loved her take on it.”
Hamouda herself was inspired by a childhood memory of knafeh soaked in syrup and topped with sweet cheese. She called her confection “Can’t Get Knafeh of It” and started selling her luxury candy through her online store, FIX Dessert in Dubai. The bar went viral in 2023 with a TikTok video that’s been viewed more than 140 million times.
Ammoora’s Crunch Bar (toasted knafeh, pistachio-tahini butter, white chocolate ganache-like crémeux, caramel espresso, chocolate ganache, crushed pistachios) is in keeping with the restaurant’s Syrian fare.
“All the things used in the bar, including pistachios, tahini, and knafeh, are staples in a Syrian or Arabic kitchen,” says Britton.
Of all the ingredients, the knafeh is of particular note. “Knafeh is traditional in Syrian desserts,” says Britton. “Guests are always asking if we serve it, but the nostalgia of it is something that you wouldn’t compete with—everyone has
their own favorite homemade version, but you just can’t win against somebody’s grandmother. When we learned about the Dubai chocolate trend, we jumped on that and came up with our own take instead.”