Rich espresso, silky melted chocolate, creamy pistachio milk, and that sweet crispy knafeh topping. It’s the Dubai Chocolate in a cup!
The Dubai Chocolate craze was eerrwhereee (still is), no matter where I looked, it was there. But I ain’t Dido, and I had to wave that white flag and surrender. So here’s my version of Dubai Chocolate in mocha form, because chocolate and coffee were meant to be in a cup together, and we all deserve a little bougie mocha moment now and then.
The pistachio frothed milk ties everything together, rich espresso, melty chocolate, and it’s all topped off with roasted sweet knafeh strands. If you’re looking to switch up your daily latte or coffee routine, this one’s worth a shot. It’s easy, it’s indulgent, and you get to use your favorite chocolate, total win-win. Even if you don’t own an espresso machine, you can still easily make this Dubai Chocolate Inspired Mocha recipe. Check out the deets below and don’t forget to use @saffronandsunday so I can see your delicious recreations!
Dubai Chocolate Inspired Mocha
Ingredients
- 30 g Chocolate (dark, milk or mixed) roughly chopped (good quality recommended)
- Double shots Espresso
- 1-2 tbsp Pistachio Butter depending on preference
- 260 ml Whole Milk or any milk of preference
- 1-2 tsp Vanilla Syrup/Honey/Sugar depending on sweet preference
Garnish (optional)
- 1 tbsp Knafeh see notes
- 1 tsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 tsp Fine White Sugar/Castor Sugar
Instructions
- In a small nonstick pan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the knafeh strands and sprinkle over the sugar. Toast gently, stirring occasionally, until the strands are golden and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a paper towel to cool. They will crisp up further as they cool.
- There are two options for preparing the pistachio milkOption 1 (Espresso Machine Steam Wand): In a milk pitcher, pour in the whole milk or any milk of your choice. Add the pistachio butter and stir gently, don't worry if it doesn't fully dissolve as it will blend well during frothing. Froth the milk until it reaches 60 to 65°C (140 to 150°F), aiming for a velvety microfoam that is smooth and silky with no large bubbles.Option 2 (Stovetop & Handheld Frother): In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and pistachio butter. Stir continuously to prevent burning and heat until steam rises and small bubbles form around the edges. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat. Optionally, use a handheld milk frother to froth the warm milk for a smoother, foamier texture similar to steamed milk from a frother.
- Add the chopped chocolate to your serving cups. Place the cups under your espresso machine and brew the espresso directly into the cups. If you don’t have an espresso machine, mix 5 grams of instant espresso with 30 ml of hot water. Stir gently until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Add the vanilla, sugar or honey as sweetener and mix well.
- Slowly pour the frothed pistachio milk over the chocolate espresso base. Spoon some milk foam on top. Finish by topping with the crispy knafeh strands and enjoy!
