Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cups (Printable Version)

Luscious chocolate cups with fresh strawberries and a crunchy pistachio topping in an elegant Middle Eastern-inspired treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chocolate Cups

01 - 7 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa, chopped)
02 - 1 tsp coconut oil

→ Strawberry Filling

03 - 8.8 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
04 - 1 tbsp honey or agave syrup
05 - 0.5 tsp orange blossom water (optional)

→ Pistachio Crunch

06 - 2.1 oz shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
07 - 1 tbsp golden brown sugar or coconut sugar
08 - 0.5 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Garnish

09 - 8 small whole strawberries
10 - Edible gold leaf (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Line a muffin tin with 8 paper cupcake liners.
02 - Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil together in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water using a double boiler method, stirring until smooth.
03 - Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate into each liner and use the back of a spoon to coat the bottom and sides. Chill for 15 minutes until set. Add a second layer of chocolate for sturdier cups and chill again until firm.
04 - Mix diced strawberries with honey and orange blossom water. Set aside.
05 - Heat butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add chopped pistachios and sugar, stirring until sugar melts and nuts are golden, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Cool on parchment paper.
06 - Once chocolate cups are firm, gently remove paper liners from each cup.
07 - Fill each chocolate cup with the strawberry mixture. Sprinkle a generous amount of pistachio crunch on top. Garnish with a whole strawberry and a touch of edible gold leaf if desired.
08 - Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving for optimal texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These cups look like they took hours but come together in under two hours from start to finish.
  • The contrast between silky chocolate, juicy strawberries, and that shatteringly good pistachio crunch is the kind of textural play that makes people ask for seconds.
  • Naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, so you're covered for almost any dietary preference without sacrificing elegance.
02 -
  • Chocolate cups crack if the temperature swings too wildly between melting and chilling—avoid moving them straight from a warm kitchen to a freezing fridge, or they'll split along the sides.
  • The pistachio crunch will only stay truly crispy for a few hours, so toast it the day of serving rather than making it ahead.
03 -
  • If your chocolate seizes or becomes grainy while melting, add a teaspoon of coconut oil or neutral oil and stir patiently—it usually comes back.
  • Warming the muffin tin slightly before lining it helps the chocolate set more evenly and prevents thin spots.
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