Dubai-Style Strawberry Cups (Print Version)

Crisp kataifi nests filled with strawberries and dark chocolate for a flavorful Middle Eastern-inspired treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Kataifi Cups

01 - 7 oz kataifi pastry, thawed
02 - 2.8 oz unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons superfine sugar

→ Strawberry Filling

04 - 10.6 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
05 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
06 - 2 tablespoons honey or rose syrup

→ Chocolate Ganache

07 - 3.5 oz dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa), chopped
08 - 2.7 fl oz heavy cream

→ Garnish

09 - 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
10 - 1 teaspoon dried edible rose petals (optional)
11 - Fresh mint leaves (optional)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Gently untangle the kataifi pastry and pull it apart into loose strands. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with superfine sugar, tossing gently to coat evenly.
03 - Press the kataifi into 6 muffin tins, shaping into nests. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool completely in the tin before removing.
04 - Combine diced strawberries, lemon juice, and honey or rose syrup in a bowl. Mix well and let macerate for 10 minutes.
05 - Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until just simmering. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. Allow to cool slightly to thicken.
06 - Spoon a generous layer of chocolate ganache into each kataifi cup. Top with the macerated strawberry mixture.
07 - Garnish with chopped pistachios, rose petals, and fresh mint if using. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The kataifi gets impossibly crispy without any deep frying, just butter and gentle heat.
  • Fresh strawberries macerated with honey create a filling that feels both light and indulgent.
  • Dark chocolate ganache comes together in under five minutes if you know the trick.
  • Your guests will think you spent hours when you actually made these in forty minutes.
02 -
  • Let the kataifi cups cool completely in the muffin tin before removing them, or they'll fall apart—I learned this the hard way on my first attempt.
  • If your ganache seems too thin after cooling, you didn't let the chocolate and cream sit together long enough before stirring, so patience really does matter here.
03 -
  • Make your ganache slightly thinner than you think you need it—it continues to thicken as it cools, and you want it pourable enough to coat the bottom of each cup.
  • If you can't find dried edible rose petals, don't skip the garnish step entirely—even a dusting of cocoa powder or extra pistachios makes the presentation memorable.
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