Kataifi Pistachio Parfaits
Individual dessert glasses layered with whipped mascarpone cream, toasted kataifi mixed with pistachio cream, and a drizzle of chocolate ganache. The Dubai chocolate bar flavors in a glass, assembled to order so the kataifi stays crunchy. No baking.
Ingredients
- 150 gkataifi pastry
- 2 tbspbutter
- 150 gpistachio cream
- 250 gmascarpone cheese
- 200 mlheavy cream
- 2 tbsppowdered sugar
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 80 gdark chocolate
- 60 mlheavy cream for ganache
- 30 gcrushed pistachios
Method
- Toast the kataifi. Chop into 2–3cm pieces with scissors. Melt butter in a wide pan over medium heat, add kataifi and stir constantly for 5–8 minutes until evenly golden. It turns from pale to golden quickly, so watch it. Transfer to a bowl, cool completely, then mix thoroughly with the pistachio cream until coated.
- Make the ganache. Chop the dark chocolate finely and place in a small bowl. Heat 60ml of heavy cream until it just simmers, pour over the chocolate and let sit 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Set aside at room temperature — it should be pourable but not hot when you layer.
- Make the mascarpone cream. Beat the mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. The result should be light but stable.
- Assemble the parfaits just before serving, or up to 30 minutes ahead — the kataifi loses its crunch after about an hour in contact with the cream. Layer in glasses: mascarpone cream first, then kataifi-pistachio filling, then a drizzle of ganache. Repeat if the glasses are large enough.
- Top with a final spoonful of mascarpone cream, another drizzle of ganache, and a scatter of crushed pistachios.
- Serve immediately for maximum crunch, or keep in the fridge for up to 30 minutes. After that the kataifi softens but the dessert is still good — just a different texture.
FAQ
The Dubai chocolate bar's appeal comes from two things: the contrast between crunchy toasted kataifi and smooth pistachio cream inside a chocolate shell, and the visual drama of breaking it open. These parfaits take the same filling — kataifi toasted in butter, mixed with pistachio cream — and present it in a glass layered with light mascarpone cream and chocolate ganache. The flavors are the same as the bar, but the format is a proper plated dessert that doesn't require moulds or chocolate tempering.
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Comments (1)
I whip the cream to soft peaks for kataifi pistachio parfaits, not stiff. Over-whipped cream is on the edge of becoming butter and has a grainy mouthfeel. Stop when it just holds a gentle curl on the whisk — it'll firm up as you fold it.