Effortless Dubai Chocolate Balls (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

01 - 7 ounces (200g) shredded phyllo dough (kataifi pastry)
02 - ⅓ cup (75g) unsalted butter
03 - 5.3 ounces (150g) smooth white chocolate
04 - 1.5 teaspoons neutral oil (like corn or avocado) – optional
05 - 5.3 ounces (150g) natural pistachio butter (or unsalted roasted pistachios)
06 - A small pinch of salt
07 - 14.1 ounces (400g) dark chocolate, 55–65% cocoa content
08 - 3 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios for topping

# Instructions:

01 - Take the strands of kataifi pastry and cut them into smaller pieces, about an inch (2.5 cm) long. Use your hands to gently separate and fluff the strands—this will help them toast evenly and give a great crunch later.
02 - Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat and toss in the chopped kataifi. Stir it nonstop to prevent burning as the pastry crisps up and takes on a golden hue. Use forks to break up any clumps while stirring. Once it smells toasty and looks perfectly browned, take it off the heat and let it cool fully.
03 - Melt the white chocolate in a microwave (short bursts of 10–15 seconds, stirring in between) or over a pot of simmering water. If you want the mixture extra smooth, mix in the vegetable oil now. Stir the cooled chocolate together with pistachio butter and a pinch of salt until silky. Let it sit until no longer warm.
04 - Fold the crispy kataifi into the cooled pistachio mixture until everything is evenly mixed. If it's too soft to handle, chill it in the fridge until it thickens up a bit. Once firm, roll it into 16 little balls weighing about 1.1 ounces (30 grams) each. Set them on parchment-lined trays and freeze them until they're solid.
05 - Melt the dark chocolate in your preferred way (or temper it, if you know how). Take each chilled ball and dunk it into the melted chocolate, using forks to roll it around and coat it fully. Be sure to tap off any extra chocolate before placing the ball carefully back onto the tray lined with parchment.
06 - Sprinkle each truffle with chopped pistachios while the chocolate is still wet. Leave them to fully harden at room temperature, or pop them in the fridge to speed it up. Once firm, they're ready to serve—or store for later enjoyment!

# Notes:

01 - Crispy kataifi, creamy pistachio filling, and rich dark chocolate combine for an irresistible texture and flavor contrast.
02 - Double-dipping the truffles in chocolate creates a thicker outer shell.
03 - If you can't buy pistachio butter, blend roasted pistachios until smooth in a food processor.

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