This Pistachio Kunafa Brownie is a fusion of taste and textures. It has a soft, decadent brownie, a sweet and crunchy Pistachio Kunafa spread and a smooth, creamy chocolate ganache on top.

It is so delicious and it takes the viral Pistachio Kunafa chocolate bars to a whole different level of indulgence.

I am sure by now you must’ve heard about the infamous Pistachio chocolate bar. Some of you may have tried that too. It is also referred to as FIX Chocolate Dubai or Dubai Chocolate Bar, and it was started by FIX Dessert Chocolatier in the city.

If you are not aware of it, it was this chocolate bar that got so popular here in Dubai a few months back and the trend quickly spread all over the world. My explore feed was full of these incredibly tempting chocolate bars, filled with a pistachio kunafa filling just oozing out every bite.

I could’ve just made the bars in itself, but I wouldn’t have been me if I did not try to come up with something unique using the same concept. Also, I might be a bit biased, but these brownies are a lot more decadent.

It has the perfect ratio of sweet and the bitterness of chocolate compliments very well with the pistachio filling. The fusion of textures also makes each and every bite such a joy to indulge in. Absolutely love it!

Ingredients and substitutions for this recipe

To make the chocolate brownie:

Butter– Use a high quality unsalted butter, softened at room temperature for the best results. However, you can alternate with flavourless vegetable oil or margarine.
Brown sugar– the presence of molasses adds a depth of flavour to the brownies and makes it chewier. If you don’t have brown sugar, you can substitute it for regular granulated white sugar.
Large whole eggs
Vanilla Extract
Cocoa powder– Use high quality un-sweetened cocoa powder for the best flavour.
All-purpose flour– I personally haven’t tried this recipe with any other flour, so I do recommend sticking to the usual all-purpose flour. If you happen to make it with a different alternative, please do let me know how it turned out!
Baking powder– just a little bit to add some fluffiness to the brownie
Salt

Ingredients for making Pistachio Kunafa Spread and the Chocolate ganache:

Kunafa dough- Also called as Kataifi pastry or shredded phyllo. These are not the same as Vermicelli but if you can’t find Kunafa dough in your city, you can use fine vermicelli as a substitute.
Pistachio Spread- I used a creamy, sweetened pistachio spread. You can make your own too using blanched, peeled pistachios blended into a Pistachio butter and sweetened according to your taste.
Butter or Ghee- this is used for roasting your kunafa dough.
Semi-sweet chocolate or Dark Chocolate- I currently love using Callebaut chocolates in my recipes.

Scroll down to the recipe card below for the ingredient quantities and full instructions.

How to store leftover Pistachio Kunafa brownies?

You can keep the slices in the refrigerator for upto 10 days, stored in an airtight container.

To freeze, I suggest letting it freeze first in a tray for a few hours, then wrap individual brownies in cling and transfer them into an airtight freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. You can store them in the freezer for a couple months without any worries. Remove and let it thaw completely to room temperature before you dig in.

Pistachio Chocolate brownies with Kunafa

Like this recipe? Here are more dessert recipes you will love

Death by Chocolate Cookies
Oatmeal chocolate chip Pizookie
Chocolate Grill-o-nafa (Kunafa French Toast)
Chocolate Pecan Brownie Pie
Lotus Biscoff Brownie

These Chocolate Pistachio Kunafa Brownies are waiting for you!

You are sure to impress your friends and family with this recipe. I love the crunch that the kunafa gives to this brownie and I think they look pretty good too. Do comment below what you love most about these divine chocolate brownies.

RECIPE for Pistachio Kunafa Brownies:

Pistachio Kunafa Brownies

Recipe by Aysha SaihaCourse: DessertsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Baking time

minutes

Total time

minutes

Ingredients

For the Brownie
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
For the Pistachio Kunafa and Chocolate layer
3/4 cup pistachio spread
1 cup kunafa pastry, cut into smaller pieces
1 Tbsp butter or ghee, for roasting kunafa dough
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate

Directions

Bake the Chocolate Brownie
Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF and line a 7-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and/or grease it with a non-stick cooking spray or oil.
In a mixing bowl, add the softened butter and sugar. Using an electric beater on medium-high, whisk the ingredients until pale in colour. Add in the eggs and beat for another 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract.
Now, sift in the dry-ingredients, cocoa powder, baking powder, flour and salt. Fold it in the batter using a spatula.
Once it all comes together with no streaks of flour left behind, pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in the oven on one of the lower racks, for around 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or only with a few moist crumbs attached to it.
Prepare Pistachio Kunafa spread
Shred your Kunafa dough either in a food processor or using a pair of scissors into approximately 1-2cms in length. In a large frying pan, add in butter or ghee and once it is melted, add in the shredded kunafa dough. Keep stirring until it gets a beautifully roasted golden-brown colour. Remove from heat, let it cool and then transfer to a mixing bowl.
Microwave your pistachio spread for about 30secs just to slightly melt it so that it is easier to mix. This step may not be necessary if your pistachio spread already has a pourable consistency. Pour the pistachio spread into the kunafa and stir it using a large spoon or spatula. Keep aside.
Melt Chocolate, Layer, slice and Enjoy!
Add your chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and microwave with 15-30sec intervals, mixing in between each interval until it is perfectly melted.
Layer the Pistachio-Kunafa spread on top of the cooled brownie, followed by a layer of melted chocolate. Garnish with slivered Pistachios. You can keep it in the fridge for 5-10minutes just to let the chocolate harden and then slice and enjoy!