Dubai Chocolate Tres Leches

How to Make Dubai Chocolate Tres Leches

Dubai Chocolate Tres Leches is my newest flavor of tres leches cake and I could not be more excited to share this recipe with you. I may have created the greatest dessert of all time? Seriously.

We all know Dubai Chocolate is everywhere. It’s been trending for a while now. My husband and I were lucky enough to try the original version at a pop-up in Miami and have had countless iterations since then…all over Florida and New York. And, plenty of store bought versions (I love Russell Stover version and the brand Lovetta’s)

If you aren’t familiar – the basics of a Dubai Chocolate Bar are typically milk or dark chocolate, pistachio butter and Kataifi, which are toasted strips of flaky buttery pastry dough (phyllo dough). The original version also has tahini (sesame seed paste). The combination is sweet, salty, creamy, chocolate-y perfection. The other iteration that is very popular contains all of these same ingredients over fresh whole strawberries.

Since the Dubai Chocolate craze has begun and everyone has hopped on the train, I’ve steadily been cookin’ up new ways to serve this epic combo. I actually created a Dubai Chocolate Martini for a mixology class I hosted that was a huge hit.

A tradition I accidentally started a few years ago is making different versions of tres leches cake for birthdays and special occasions. I’ve become known locally for these cakes. “La Reina de Tres Leches” has been said more than once! This is especially funny considering I am not Hispanic at all but have Irish and Italian roots!

Some of the versions I make: coconut, strawberry, chocolate, cookies and cream, red velvet, confetti, strawberry cheesecake & plenty of others. It only made sense to create a Dubai Chocolate version.

Because Dubai Chocolate has several components, I wanted to ensure that this cake was really worth the time and effort. It needed to have rich pistachio flavor throughout without being salty or sickeningly sweet. The kataifi needed to be toasted and crispy without getting soggy. The chocolate needed to be dark but not so rich it took over the other flavors. The homemade cocoa whipped cream, which is a huge part of why the cake is so good, needs to be fluffy and only lightly sweetened.

Most importantly in a tres leches is the milks mixture. A typical tres leches would have table cream, condensed milk and evaporated milk. So, naturally, my first thought was “I should use pistachio milk instead!”

My second thought was “what if I used pistachio condensed milk?” I searched and couldn’t find such a thing. So, I asked AI. “Is this not a thing? I really want to use it”. It was not a thing apparently! But, I knew I could make it myself. And, oh boy did I do that.

I start off by making homemade unsweetened pistachio milk by blending soaked raw pistachios with spring water in a high speed blender. Then, I add the fresh pistachio milk to a pot with sugar and a pinch of salt and let it reduce down into a condensed milk (it takes about 15-20 min).

These two steps are a game changer and truly don’t take that long to make. I was shocked at how quickly it all came together. Using a high speed blender, no straining was necessary and no nut milk bag or cheese cloth was necessary. I use a Ninja Twisty, which is a very efficient and affordable blender! The pistachio milk comes out thick, creamy and extra smooth. It’s like magic!

I mixed the pistachio condensed milk with table cream and evaporated milk.

Next. I pour the milks mixture over a classic French vanilla cake that has been swirled with pistachio butter throughout. I warm the pistachio butter slightly so it is easier to swirl in.

There is certainly a difference between pistachio butter and pistachio cream with the latter being much more sweet. I think the pistachio butter works the best here as the final product should be balanced and not overly sweet.

The second layer is a paste made with said pistachio butter and kataifi (the toasted pastry dough shreds). Finally, it’s topped with homemade cocoa whipped cream, pistachio crumble and more kataifi. Optional: chocolate sauce drizzled over top.

This is truly not an overwhelmingly sweet dessert. It is so well balanced by the toppings and the texture combinations. This is why each component is so important – it comes together for the perfect bite.

What Ingredients Do I Need?

Although it seems like there are a lot of ingredients for this recipe, there really isn’t. For the cake, you can follow any French vanilla cake recipe you like or use a boxed cake mix. Really any yellow or white cake will work great here.

Optional: I like to add a splash of dark rum to my cake batter for an extra moist cake*

• Cake mix (plus eggs, oil & water)
• Pistachios (raw – without the shells)
• Toasted kataifi (shredded phyllo dough also known as knafeh & kadayif)
• Pistachio butter (pistachio cream works too but it is sweeter)
• 9×13 baking pan

If you’d like to make the cocoa whipped cream from scratch, you’ll need:

• Heavy whipping cream
• Cocoa powder
• Powdered sugar or cane sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Splash of vanilla extract

Feel free to use cool whip or whipped cream for a shortcut! I do think making it from scratch elevates the cake so much. However, use what you have or whatever you have access to.

Baking should be fun so don’t get too stuck on exact ingredients!

Homemade Pistachio Milk

First things first, we need to make the pistachio milk. We need raw pistachios (without the shells) that have been soaked in boiling water for a few hours. Strain them, use paper towels to slightly dry them. This will help remove some of the outer skins.

1 cup (150g) raw pistachios
1.5 cup (350ml) boiling water

Blend in a high speed blender for approx. 1-2 minutes. I used the “Extract” setting for 75 seconds. If using a high speed blender, it should come out thick, creamy and smooth. No cheese cloth or nut milk bag needed.

You should end up with roughly 1 .5 quarts of fresh pistachio milk.

If after 2 minutes your pistachio milk is not smooth, feel free to strain it. Pour into a glass jar and allow to refrigerate until cool.

Homemade Pistachio Condensed Milk

Using our fresh pistachio milk – we will make pistachio condensed milk from scratch. This is one of the reasons the cake has such a deep pistachio flavor throughout.

When I realized pistachio condensed milk is not something I could find online or in stores, I immediately thought this must be super difficult to make. In fact, it is not difficult to make at all. And, it is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever created.

2 cups (475ml) fresh pistachio milk
1/2 cup (160g) cane sugar
Pinch of salt

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, add your fresh pistachio milk, sugar and a pinch of salt. Cook on medium low heat. It should be gently simmering. Stir frequently so the bottom doesn’t burn. Simmer until thick – approx. 15-20 minutes.

Keep in mind, it will continue to thicken as it cools so don’t overcook it. Pour into an airtight glass jar and refrigerate until cooled.

Once your pistachio condensed milk has cooled and thickened up, mix it with the table cream and evaporated milk and set aside until the cake is ready.

1.5 cup Pistachio condensed milk
1 can (7.6 oz) Table cream
1 can (12 oz) Evaporated milk

I recommend slightly warming the milks once they are combined. This step is optional but I find it makes a big difference in the flavor profile.

Making the French Vanilla Cake

Make your favorite French vanilla cake recipe (or use a box cake mix). Any white or yellow cake works great here as well.

If using a boxed cake mix, follow your package instructions adding oil, water and eggs.

Bake in a 9×13 pan or use two 8×8 pans instead. I prefer the large 9×13 for this cake typically but the images shown are for a very deep 8×8 pan.

With about 2 tablespoons of slightly warmed pistachio butter, plop spoonful’s all over the cake batter and swirl in using a chopstick or knife. Bake the cake as directed and allow to cool completely.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke large holes around the entire cake once cooled. It’s best to do this step once the cake has fully cooled or the cake will crumble some. You can see what I mean from my photos – I was being impatient 🙂 It isn’t a huge deal but it’s better to allow it to cool as much as possible before poking the holes.

Once the cake has cooled and been poked all over, pour over the warmed milks mixture very slowly over the top. It will seem like too much liquid but it will absorb most of it.

I personally like tres leches cakes to be incredibly moist (almost wet) but not dripping/sitting in a pool. This method will give you the fluffiest most saturated cake without a bunch of unabsorbed milk at the bottom.

Pistachio Butter + Kataifi Layer

One of the best parts of this cake is the layer of pistachio butter and kataifi. Trust me, it’s hard to get this layer onto the cake without it all disappearing into your mouth.

1 cup Toasted Kataifi (shredded phyllo dough)
1/2 cup Pistachio butter (not pistachio cream)

You can buy your pastry shreds toasted or untoasted. I bought mine untoasted so my first step is slightly browning these in a hot pan. Skip this step if your kataifi is already toasted (highly recommend)

Warm your pistachio butter slightly in the microwave to make it easier to mix. Add the toasted pastry shreds and pistachio butter until a paste forms.

Drop spoonful’s of this delicious green paste over the top of the cake and gently spread over top. Be careful not to disturb the soaked cake underneath.

Homemade Cocoa Whipped Cream

The most important step in making homemade whipped cream that does not deflate is a chilled bowl. I use my stand mixer for this but you can certainly do it by hand. Chill the bowl you will be using at least 1 hour before.

3/4 cup Heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons Powdered sugar
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
Splash of vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Into your chilled bowl, add cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar (or regular sugar), cocoa powder, vanilla and salt. I first tested this recipe with Dutch process cocoa, which is a dark almost black cocoa powder. For this specific recipe, I recommend regular cocoa powder. In this case, regular cocoa powder is less rich and allows the pistachio flavor to shine.

Whip all of the ingredients on medium high speed in a stand mixer or using a hand mixer. You *can* do this by hand but it is a hell of a workout – don’t say I didn’t warn you!

As soon as the whipped cream is nice and fluffy and holds its shape, it is ready. Don’t overmix or your whipped cream will turn into butter. Overmixed whipped cream also easily separates. You want thick soft peaks that easily hold onto a spoon.

Cover the whipped cream with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to top the cake.

When ready, plop large dollops of the cocoa whipped cream on top of the cake and spread gently to connect. Make sure you have an even layer and try not to disturb the pistachio butter & kataifi layer underneath.

Now your Dubai Chocolate Tres Leches is ready for toppings.

Dubai Chocolate Toppings

The toppings are not only important for the flavors and textures but visually it brings the cake together! The cake itself is moist and fluffy with the rich creamy pistachio butter swirls. Topping with the homemade cocoa whipped cream, more pistachios and more kataifi really makes this cake a gamechanger. It hits every part of the palate in the most balanced way.

1/4 cup Pistachios (crumbled)
1/4 cup Toasted kataifi
Optional: cocoa powder for dusting or chocolate sauce drizzle

Once the cake is covered with the cocoa whipped cream, it’s time for the final toppings. Generously and evenly sprinkle toasted kataifi all over the top. Next, sprinkle your crumbled pistachios.

Optionally, you can dust cocoa powder and/or drizzle chocolate sauce over the top. Both would be great for that extra chocolate-y hit. Keep in mind, too much chocolate will drown out the other delicate flavors.

How Do I Store It?

This cake can be easily stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Due to the dairy, this cake cannot be left out at room temperature

To store: cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Alternatively, you can store smaller pieces in airtight containers.

I do not recommend freezing this cake. The textures are what make the experience and if it is frozen and then thawed, all of the components will be compromised.