Pistachio Hot Chocolate (Whittard) By @Cinabar

I did not actually buy the Pistachio White Hot Chocolate as a full tub. I ordered the Mince Pie Hot Chocolate along with some tea, and this sachet arrived as a free sample with my order. No complaints there, because pistachio is absolutely having its moment right now, largely thanks to the Dubai chocolate craze, so it makes complete sense that Whittard have leaned into that trend.

The drink is made with milk, and I was impressed with how easily it mixed. It stirred smoothly with no lumps at all, which is always a good sign with powdered hot chocolates. Once made, it had a pale green colour that felt quite indulgent and different from the usual brown mugs of hot chocolate, making it feel a little more special.

Flavour wise, this is a sweet and creamy drink with a fairly mild pistachio taste. It is definitely recognisable as pistachio, but it is not overpowering or bitter. Instead, it leans into a soft, nutty creaminess that makes it very soothing to drink. The texture is rich and velvety, which gives it that comforting, premium feel Whittard usually do so well.

I can see this being a big hit with fans of pistachio and anyone who has been swept up in the Dubai chocolate trend. Personally, while I enjoyed it, I am glad I chose the Mince Pie Hot Chocolate as my main purchase. At this time of year, I am far more drawn to festive flavours and warming spices. That said, this is a lovely option, and I would happily drink it again, especially outside the Christmas season.

Ritter Sport Pistachio - finally a decent 'Dubai Chocolate' [@NLi10]

 We love pistachios.   

We love Baklava - and the bird nest stuff is amazing.  

Dubai Chocolate combines the two, is confusingly expensive, and always disappointing - until now.

You see the one thing they never get right is that the chocolate still has to be the star.  So finally - the big brands are repackaging their Pistachio varieties and getting them into our hands for much cheaper.

I first fell in love with Ritter Sport in the 90s on trips to Germany.  There always seemed to be a new one to try and the variations all made sense.

The packaging is even fun to open properly, and it keeps everything where it belongs.  The ingredients are all here - except the lovely birds nest - but I have a shop that makes that fresh on my high-street so it's all good.

*snap* Luna approves of the smells here.

Like golden-era Cadbury's the chunks are a nice portion, always contain the novelty and the mix is always the same as there is only one size (Snickers - take note).

A lovely fragrant nutty undertone to classic Ritter Sport chocolate.

Lindt have nudged their Pistachio balls (which have been available for 5 years plus) into the limelight too - I wonder who else will join in.  First to make a legitimate chocolate version with the birds nest built in for non-import prices (and actually containing cocoa at decent rates) will win the market for sure!

 

Kenco Dubai Chocolate Style Latte (Iceland) By @Cinabar

The Dubai chocolate trend seems to be everywhere at the moment, and now it’s making its way into our hot drinks too. Kenco’s Dubai Chocolate Style Latte promises a mix of coffee, chocolate and pistachio flavours, a rather intriguing combination for a chilly autumn day.

First things first, I was very pleased to see there are eight sachets in the box. Too often, limited editions sneakily drop to seven (yes, Nescafé, I’m looking at you), so it’s nice to see Kenco keep things consistent.

You can make the drink with hot or cold water, depending on whether you fancy it as a latte or an iced version. With the weather firmly back to jumpers and blankets, I opted for hot. It mixed easily with no lumps and created a smooth, creamy drink.

Flavour-wise, it was rich and comforting, the chocolate and coffee came through clearly, with a subtle nuttiness that hinted at pistachio. There was also a faint touch of something extra, maybe a light saltiness, that gave it a slightly different edge. I couldn’t quite pin it down, but it worked. The overall result was a soothing, chocolatey coffee that felt a little more indulgent than your usual instant latte.

If this is where the Dubai chocolate trend is heading, I’m not complaining.

Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate Bar (Lindt Store) By @Cinabar

Pistachio seems to be everywhere at the moment, but I’ve never really been on board with the trend. I’m not sure why, but it just doesn’t feel as wholesome a flavour as hazelnut, which I think my tastebuds are more attuned to. Another thing I dislike is Angel Hair chocolate, that delicate, shredded texture has never been for me.

What I do love, however, is Lindt. So when I spotted their take on a Dubai-style chocolate bar, I had to give it a go. At £4 this isn’t a large bar, but compared to other Dubai chocolates I’ve seen (and at much higher prices) it feels very reasonable. For a luxury brand like Lindt, it’s actually good value.

Inside, the chocolate squares are neatly embossed with the Lindt logo. Breaking into one revealed a pistachio filling that was green, but not alarmingly so. The outer coating is classic Lindt: thick, rich, and with that deep cocoa melt that feels properly indulgent. The filling itself is sweet and nutty, with a texture that combines a praline smoothness with a subtle crunch, that signature contrast Dubai chocolate is known for. It’s balanced, satisfying, and yes… surprisingly delicious.

I may not be completely sold on the pistachio trend, but if any brand could change my mind on Dubai-style chocolate, it’s Lindt.

VIELE Angel Hair Strawberry Flavour Chocolate (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

The Morrisons website now features a label on some items that reads ‘As Seen On Social’, and that’s exactly what caught my eye with this: VIELE Angel Hair Strawberry Flavour Chocolate. Pistachio is having a moment right now and has become a major trend, largely thanks to the popularity of Dubai chocolate on social media. We’ve tried the odd product, but honestly, much of it is so expensive that it can be off-putting. Even this small bar of VIELE Angel Hair cost £5, which is more than some high-end bars.

When it arrived, I took a proper look at the packaging and ingredients. Inside is a pistachio cream, candy floss (aka cotton candy), and a Milky Cocolin coating. I had to look that last one up, it’s a type of chocolate made with other fats instead of or with cocoa butter. Odd, and not something I’ve come across before.

The bar was packaged in a cardboard pull-out tray and wrapped, though not sealed, in gold foil. It smelled strongly of strawberry and was thick and chunky, with a hint of green showing through. Although the pieces were marked out, it looked tricky to break, so I gave in and used a knife. The bar is hairy inside, with visible strands of candy floss poking out.

I gave it a try, and I genuinely don’t know how to describe what I tasted. There was strawberry, then a strange aftertaste, presumably pistachio, with salt, but also something woody, slightly sweet, and almost menthol-like. It reminded me a bit of pine. Apart from making it difficult to cut, the candy floss was too soft to affect the texture. I’m sorry, but I just didn’t get it. The only reason I went back for another bite was to try and figure out why it tasted so weird.

FOREVA Dubai Style Pistachio Chocolate [@NLi10]

 Dubai style chocolate is all the rage.  Which is unusual, as it's essentially chocolate coated Baklava 

And it's not usually made in DubVegas but imported - this one from Turkey.

Having the German on the pack inspires confidence - they are selling chocolate to the experts so clearly it's the good stuff

So far - so luxurious.  Clearly designed to survive travel and heat.

And like Dubai itself it's not actually as green as you'd expect.  This is surely just a normal chocolate bar!

All the green is on the inside!  

This is crispy 'bombay mix' style noodles - infused with pistachio and covered in remarkable Lindt-like chocolate.

And it works really well.  It's far too sweet, which I think is the intention, and we shared this one cube on a 30 degree day and were satisfied.

I've put the rest in the fridge to see if that makes the flavours pop a little more, but as it stands it's a very nice luxurious treat.

I'd probably still rather walk to my fresh Baklava shop, but if you don't have access to those on your high-street then this works too.