Latest news with #SarahHamouda
Telegraph
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Nine viral food trends that are still delicious – and 11 we wish we'd never tasted
The product that took the world by storm, so much so that Waitrose limited sales to two per customer. It was created by British-Egyptian chef Sarah Hamouda who found herself craving her childhood favourite dessert, knafeh, and imagined its crunchy and creamy textures in a European-style chocolate bar. 'In many ways Dubai chocolate is the perfect storm of what it takes to make a food trend,' says Ebbrell. 'It's indulgent, it's visually beautiful because it's green from the pistachio cream inside, and it has an interesting crunchy texture – similar to filo or baklava – when you bite it. 'I love that you can have something which is traditional in one part of the world, in this case Middle Eastern knafeh – which is pastry usually served on cheese –, showcased in a whole different context. However, it also shows that [going viral has] consequences. Global supplies of pistachio are in trouble because everyone wants them to make Dubai chocolate. That's the power of a food trend.'
The National
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Is a mango-flavoured bar set to be the next viral Dubai chocolate?
We are in the middle of mango season here in the UAE, and that seems to have inspired Fix Dessert Chocolatier. The confectionery company behind the ubiquitous Dubai Chocolate launched a new flavour on Friday. Time to Mango is a white chocolate bar filled with mango, passion fruit and popping candy. Crowds gathered at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai to be among the first to try the new flavour of chocolate from the viral brand. The new sweet treat will be available on Deliveroo from June 16, costing Dh72.25. One Mall of the Emirates shopper, among the first to try it out, told The National that it was 'extremely sweet' but that the fruit filling manages to 'cut through'. They added: 'The popping candy is a fun retro touch – it reminds me of some of my favourite childhood sweets.' Fix Dessert Chocolatier co-founder Sarah Hamouda believes every bite of the bar 'is different'. She said: 'When we're developing a new recipe, we think of each bar as having its own unique sensory experience. How does it look? How does it taste? How does it feel? More importantly, how does this progress with each bite?' Fix began with its famed Can't Get Knafeh Of It bar, a milk chocolate bar filled with pistachio and kunafa. Since then, it has inspired a string of similarly flavoured bars, including Galaxy Pistachio Kunafa and a Lindt bar filled with pistachio butter and kadayif. Before the new Time to Mango bar, shoppers could buy chocolate-dipped dried mango at both Marks & Spencer and Patchi. The Fix-prompted Dubai chocolate trend has become something off a global sensation. Away from chocolate bars, Krispy Kreme has a Dubai chocolate flavour doughnut, which it is now keeping as a permanent fixture on the UAE menu, and Baskin‑Robbins has a range of Dubai Chocolate Royale menu items, which includes a cake, sundae and takeaway pint of ice cream.
UAE Moments
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- UAE Moments
Dubai's Viral Chocolate Is Getting a New Flavor This Friday
Dubai's viral chocolate bar sensation is back — and this time, it's dropping a brand new flavor. FIX Dessert Chocolatier, the local brand behind the pistachio-stuffed chocolate bar that took over TikTok, will be unveiling its latest creation at a limited-time pop-up in Mall of the Emirates starting Friday, June 13. The new flavor is still under wraps, but fans can try it firsthand when doors open at 10AM. The pop-up will run until June 15, and if the brand's last launch is anything to go by, expect queues and sellouts. From viral TikTok fame to global cult following FIX made headlines last year when its pistachio-loaded chocolate bar exploded on social media, racking up over 56 million views and turning casual snackers into loyal fans overnight. Behind the brand is British-Egyptian founder Sarah Hamouda, who launched FIX in 2021 while pregnant and craving rich desserts. What began as a side project quickly turned into a booming chocolate business, now shipping out around 500 bars a day worldwide. Dubai dessert brand continues to expand Hamouda says it's more than just candy. 'We pour time, effort, and love into every bar. It's meant to be a full-on experience,' she said in an earlier interview. FIX's growth has been organic — from Dubai to Canada, Argentina, and beyond, fans have been sharing reaction videos and reviews online, building a strong global community around the brand. Read More: Fix Chocolate Teams Up with Dubai Crown Prince Fazza Mystery flavor expected to follow pistachio's success The new release comes on the heels of FIX's Kunafa-inspired bar, which received praise earlier this year. With high expectations, fans are hoping the next flavor will live up to — or even top — the pistachio original. Whether you're a returning customer or just curious about the hype, this weekend's launch is your chance to get a first bite of Dubai's next viral dessert.
The Guardian
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Rogue imports of ‘Dubai chocolate' may threaten Britons with allergies, FSA says
Pistachio-filled 'Dubai chocolate' is one of the UK's hottest food trends but officials are warning that rogue imports could pose a serious threat to people with allergies. With shoppers clamouring to get their hands on the bars, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it has identified a 'number of products that pose a health risk to consumers with allergies'. Although most of the chocolate is 'safe' to eat, the body says it is concerned that some bars do not have reliable labels. It is also possible they contain banned additives and dyes. Its officials are working with local councils to get problem bars cleared from shelves. The bars were first invented in 2021 by Sarah Hamouda, a British-Egyptian living in Dubai. The indulgent treat went on to become a huge hit on social media. One video of a food influencer eating the bar, which contains a filling of pistachio cream and tahini with knafeh (a traditional Arab dessert), has clocked up more than 100m views on TikTok. The chocolate has become so popular it is one of the factors blamed for a shortage of pistachios. The scale of the demand from sweet-toothed consumers inspired specialists, such as Lindt, to launch their own versions as well as supermarkets from Lidl to Waitrose. The FSA's chief scientific adviser, Prof Robin May, said: 'The vast majority of food in the UK is safe, but some imported Dubai-style chocolate products don't meet our standards and could be a food safety risk, especially for consumers with allergies'. 'We advise sticking with trusted retailers, like the ones you'd use for your weekly shop, as products are more likely to be made for UK consumers and so are safe to eat.' By law, products made to UK standards should have labels in English that carry a list of ingredients, with the allergens emphasised. The packet should also give the name and address of the UK or EU business responsible for the product information. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion The FSA says it is trying to establish the scale of the problem. While this work takes place, it is advising those with a food allergy or intolerance to only purchase bars that are clearly intended for sale in the UK.
Extra.ie
12-06-2025
- Health
- Extra.ie
Urgent warning over trendy Dubai chocolate bars
If you are one of those people waiting to see if the viral Dubai Chocolate bars come down in price before you try them, well the message from experts today is 'Buyer Beware'. Shoppers keen to get their hands on the gooey green-filled chocolate bars may be at risk of suffering a serious reaction because of the increase in cheap and counterfeit products said to be laced with additives and harmful ingredients. The decadent treat, which went viral on social media last year, contains a mix of pistachio, tahini and crispy kataifi pastry known as 'angel hair', but its not cheap, and you can expect to pay around 10 euro for a bar of the crunchy yet creamy chocolate. A stock image of Dubai chocolate. Pic: Shutterstock The creation was the dream of Sarah Hamouda, a Dubai-based chocolatier, as a new way to satisfy her pregnancy cravings. But now the UK's Food and Safety Watchdog says that certain manufacturers are producing cheap and dangerous knock-offs. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which published the alert, some Dubai chocolate bars being imported to this part of the world, are filled with nasty additives and contaminants, including illegal food dyes to produce the vivid green colour, toxins produced by moulds and even chemical compounds that may be carcinogenic. A stock image of Dubai chocolate. Pic: Getty Images Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Advisor to the FSA said 'The vast majority of food in the UK is safe, but some imported Dubai-style chocolate products don't meet our standards and could be a food safety risk, especially for consumers with allergies.' He added, 'If you are looking to buy Dubai-style chocolate, we advise sticking with trusted retailers, like the ones you'd use for your weekly shop, as products are more likely to be safe to eat. There are things people can look out for to check whether a product is intended for sale in this part of the world, and made to European standards. The labels should contain the information in English, including the name of the food – for example, Milk Chocolate with Pistachio Paste Filling, a list of ingredients and all allergens should be listed on the packaging.
