How to Make a Dubai Chewy Cookie — Pistachio-Kataifi Filling in a Marshmallow Shell

What you need

• Oven or a frying pan
• Mixing bowl
• Food-safe gloves
• An ice cream scoop (about 30 g)
• Freezer
• A pan for melting the marshmallow

Method

1. About 15 minutes

   Roast the kataifi in a 170°C oven for about 15 minutes, or pan-fry it, to drive off excess oil and warm it through.

   Pre-baked kataifi still benefits from this; the fried vermicelli-style substitute is heavy and oily and needs it. If pan-frying, judge by color rather than time.

   Expert tipRoast until evenly golden — that golden color is the signal it is done.

2. While the kataifi is still warm, fold it together with the 100% pistachio paste until evenly coated.

   Mixing while warm helps the kataifi blend with the paste; there is no special technique beyond mixing thoroughly and working cleanly because the paste is expensive.

   Expert tipUse more paste for thicker baked kataifi — roughly 200% of its weight versus about 150% for the finer fried substitute — since the drier, larger strands absorb more paste to stay moist.

3. Add pistachio spread at about 10% of the paste weight and mix in to set the sweetness.

   Omitting it leaves the filling under-sweet; increase the amount if you want it sweeter. The spread also lifts the pistachio flavor.

4. Portion the filling into about 30 g pieces, shaping each just enough to hold together.

   An ice cream scoop fills to roughly 30 g; the shape only needs to be rough since it will be re-shaped inside the shell. Make plenty ahead of time.

   Expert tipFor large batches, mix and portion with gloved hands.

5. At least 1 hour

   Freeze the portioned filling for at least one hour until firm.

   Frozen filling keeps about 5-6 days, so prepare it in advance when you have time.

6. Melt marshmallow with butter to make the shell, then wrap each frozen filling piece in it.

   Filipino-origin marshmallows give a fluffier result; Chinese-origin failed and U.S. ones are large and slow to melt. Avoid camping marshmallows, which do not melt well.

   Expert tipThe marshmallow shell is the hardest part to get right — work to avoid a shell that turns out hard or rubbery.

7. Coat the wrapped cookies in a mix of whole milk powder and cocoa powder to finish.

Why this works

The 100% pistachio paste delivers the deep, dense flavor, so the filling tastes only as good as how generously it is used. Roasting the kataifi while it is still warm lets it blend cleanly into the paste and keeps its crunch, while using pistachio spread instead of plain white chocolate both sweetens the filling and reinforces the pistachio flavor. Freezing the portioned filling firm makes it easy to wrap quickly in the marshmallow shell.

Where beginners go wrong

1. 1

   Marshmallow shell turns out hard or rubbery

   The shell is the main failure point. Use marshmallows that melt well (Filipino-origin worked best for the creator) and avoid camping marshmallows and Chinese-origin ones that resist melting.

2. 2

   Filling tastes flat or dry

   Do not skimp on the pistachio paste — flavor comes directly from it, and cutting back shows. Use more paste for thicker baked kataifi (about 200% of its weight) than for the finer substitute (about 150%).

3. 3

   Filling feels greasy or won't bind with the paste

   Roast the kataifi first to drive off oil, and mix it while still warm so the heat helps it combine with the paste.

What you should taste

A rich, almost wet pistachio center from the generous paste, with a crisp, crackly crunch from the kataifi — finer kataifi gives a lighter, more delicate crunch while thicker baked kataifi is crunchier and more substantial — all wrapped in a soft, fluffy marshmallow shell.

FAQ