Hot Plate: Six Toronto takes on Dubai’s viral knafeh chocolate bar

Crunchy, nutty, creamy and devastatingly rich, the knafeh chocolate bar has become the viral dessert the world can’t resist. Cheekily dubbed the “can’t get knafeh of it” chocolate bar, the original was invented by Dubai-based FIX Dessert Chocolatier to mimic the flavours of knafeh, a savoury-sweet treat made with cheese, chopped pistachios, tahini and kataifi (crunchy strands of finely shredded phyllo dough) in sugar syrup. Since its debut last year, the confection has invaded social media feeds and live streams, its popularity buoyed by clips of influencers inhaling crudely large bites.

Related: A ranking of Toronto’s best new cookies

Here in Toronto, the Dubai-born treat has spawned an army of chocolatey copycats, including pillowy doughnuts, pistachio-crusted croissants and bars that bear more than a passing resemblance to the original. Can’t make it to the UAE to score the real deal? Here are six local takes to try.

The chocolate bar

1 According to Basim Jubran, co-owner of Kunafa’s, the team at the Scarborough pastry shop was guided by logic in the creation of their popular Dubai Kunafa Bar. “We already specialized in making knafeh, and we already used a ton of pistachio, so it was only natural for us to give this a go,” he says. Fairly faithful odes to the original, the bars here are made with quality pistachios that are roasted daily, then ground into a buttery bright-green paste. This mixture (made without tahini) is then combined with crisp kataifi strands before being moulded into tempered milk chocolate chambers. “We launched the bar last summer, and it went super viral,” says Jubran. So much so, in fact, that the shop has added dark chocolate, white chocolate hazelnut and Lotus Biscoff bars to its already red-hot lineup. $5, kunafas.com

The cookie

2 The Chocolate Knafeh flavour at Andrea’s Cookies has the crunch of baked kataifi strands, the gloriously gooey chew of a brownie-like base, and the velvety lure of chocolate chunks and pistachio cream. In short, it’s the overachiever of the display case. “The mix of chocolate and pistachio is so decadent, and then you get this incredibly light crunch from the baked phyllo,” says owner Andrea Christensen. Beyond its definite charms, the cookie’s provenance has helped it perpetually sell out. “People love to try things they see a buzz about and share their own thoughts and ratings,” says Christensen. “We hopped on the trend fairly quickly, which helped us get in on the excitement.” $4.50, andreascookies.com

The croissant

3 A far cry from the elegant austerity of classic butter viennoiserie, Little Pebbles’ Viral Kunafa Croissants are flashy extroverts. Each one begins with laminated croissant dough sporting jaunty green stripes. Plumped with a healthy amount of house pistachio paste, white chocolate ganache and crunchy kataifi, the croissants are finished with crushed pistachios and additional pastry strands for even more texture and flavour. “Knafeh is a beloved dessert, and croissants are a universally loved pastry, so combining them felt like a natural and exciting way to innovate while staying true to our cultural roots,” says owner Sahil Garg, who omitted milk chocolate in order to stick more closely to the creamy, nutty hallmarks of the dessert’s classic recipe. “Some customers have said that it reminds them of traditional knafeh but with a fresh, modern twist.” $6, little-pebbles.com

The doughnut

4 As soft and squishy as stress balls, Machino Donuts’ range of offerings (there are up to 26 flavours daily) are indulgent tension-busters we can get behind. “Many of our customers aren’t vegan, so they’re often surprised that our doughnuts are completely plant-based,” says store manager Chisa Miyagi, who was inspired to create a Dubai Chocolate Kunafa flavour after witnessing the original bar’s takeover of TikTok. Their take involves a yeast doughnut stuffed with tahini-spiked pistachio pastry cream, covered in a glossy coat of house-made chocolate ganache, and finished with roasted kataifi and chopped pistachios. “The doughnut’s light and airy texture pairs well with the crispiness of the kataifi and the crunchiness of the pistachios, creating a perfect balance of flavours and textures.” $5, machinodonuts.com

The gelato

5 According to Lola’s Gelato owner Daniela Zomparelli, not even Sassy Sea Turtle, their prize-winning salted caramel confection studded with spiced candied pecans, can compete against the utter dominance of the new Dubai Chocolate flavour. “People have become obsessed with it,” she says, adding that its choke-hold has endured even against winter’s pall. For it, a base of plush chocolate gelato is blanketed with tahini-enriched pistachio cream, then topped with dry-toasted kataifi and some dark chocolate for a touch of bitterness. “And that crunch,” says Zomparelli, “it’s just so satisfying.” $5.25 (single scoop) or $13 (half-litre tub), lolasgelato.com

The French toast

6 At L’Avenue Toronto, a buzzy Montreal import, the team sticks to the script with their French toast take on the trendy chocolate bar, making good use of pistachio butter, crunchy kataifi and dark chocolate ganache. Where it embraces reckless abandon, though, is by pairing those ingredients with golden-fried custard-soaked brioche, chocolate chips and lily-gilding whorls of sweetened whipped cream. “The knafeh bar is known for its indulgent combination of sweetness, crunch and warmth, which we thought would translate beautifully into a brunch dish,” says general manager Michael Hua. “Our goal was to take those same comforting flavours and elevate them in a more familiar format.” Is it breakfast? Is it dessert? The distinction is irrelevant. $22, lavenuetoronto.ca