Touted to be the next best thing since dalgona coffee, the Pistachio Kunafa Chocolate Bar has been taking the internet by storm ever since reels of the stuffed dessert surfaced on TikTok. The viral bar, originally from the house of Dubai’s FIX Dessert Chocolatier, features a thin chocolate encasing around crunchy strands of kunafa pastry enveloped in decadent pistachio cream. Priced at 65 AED (approx Rs 1,475) the bar is currently available for delivery solely in the home state. However, if you too “Can’t Get Knafeh” of the reels and wish to get a taste of the dessert yourself, here are chocolatiers in the city making sure you don’t get too choco-late for the trend!
MINN
(Clockwise) The Almond, Classic and Mango Kunafa bars do not have any added sugar
Dweepi Chatterjee’s Minn serves not only the original rendition of the recipe but also its all-natural almond and mango variations for those who like to put their own spin on global trends. Drawing inspiration from the pastel worlds of Ghibli, this Jadavpur University film studies graduate’s creations range from bento cakes to crafty innovations such as lime and poppy cookies — all featuring her canonical nature-inspired edible paintings. “My kunafa bars do not have any added sugar and the pistachio cream is made from scratch using locally-sourced ingredients,” says Chatterjee about her creation.
Pocket pinch: Rs 180 - Rs 250 per bar (approx 150 g)
How to order: Instagram (@loveminncc) and WhatsApp (+91 8481999320); order two days prior
NOEL CHOCOLAT
Although the kunafa concoction is available only on pre-orders now, it shall witness inclusion in the retail menu soon
Established by chef Yash Vardhan Agarwal in attempts to invite the French chocolaterie tradition into the bustling streets of Kolkata, this handcrafted artisanal brand believes simplicity to be the threshold for excellence. A trained pastry chef and boulangerie expert from Bengaluru’s Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and Pastry Arts, young Agarwal dabbled in institutions such as JW Marriott Mussoorie, Burma Burma and France’s Le Coq Hardi before moving back to his hometown in 2022 to establish Noel. He uses singular-gene cacao imported exclusively from specific geographical regions to prevent overlapping undertones. Although the kunafa concoction is available only on pre-orders currently, it shall be included in the retail menu soon.
“Chocolate making is a veritable science with equations as delicate as the product itself. We use authentic kunafa filo and 100 per cent pistachio paste to preserve the authenticity and not disrupt the classic!” shares Agarwal.
Pocket pinch: Rs 295 (approx 35 g)
How to order: Swiggy, Swiggy Minis, Instagram (@eatnoel) and WhatsApp (+91 9883266160)
BAKEAHOLIC
Pistachio Kunafas on offer
Baking delights since the era of the electric oven, Sangita Sadhu embarked on the home baker journey in 2019, when customisation requests galore implored her to establish her very own cloud kitchen. Devoid of formal training, Sadhu studied websites and menus of bakeries across the globe to establish Bakeaholic. Now, it has an all-women run cafe-branch, Addaholic, established last June near Sinthi More. Today, this new mom’s bootstrapped cafe boasts of a live bakery, churning fresh cream cakes within the hour and a personal fleet delivering orders pan-city and to select areas of Hooghly and Howrah to preserve quality. “We strive to continuously update ourselves with new trends. We take up R&D as soon as we come across innovations to bring the best of the world to our customers,” says Sadhu.
Pocket pinch: Rs 179 (approx 80 g)
How to order: Instagram (@bakeaholic_kolkata) and Whatsapp (+91 8910164892)
CRUMB AFFAIR
'When I first tried the pistachio kunafa bar, it not only met but also exceeded my expectations,' says Radhika Binani of Crumb Affair
Armed with a culinary arts degree from Welcomgroup School Of Hotel Administration, Manipal, and experience spanning several years of passionate labour in the commercial and home kitchens alike, Radhika Binani established Crumb Affair five years ago with a singular aim — she wanted not to just cook or bake, but curate experiences. Today, her dedicated team of five churns out seasonal cakes and customised orders daily, while trends such as the taco cake, burn away cake, and even the rich chocolate kunafa blend grace special menus year-round! “When I first tried the pistachio kunafa bar, it not only met but also exceeded my expectations! My secret is to sprinkle a small dash of sea salt on every piece,” she reveals.
Pocket pinch: Rs 180 (approx 100 g)
How to order: Instagram (@crumbaffair) and WhatsApp (+91 9740714515)
CAKE A WISH
Renowned for their grandiose hanging cakes, Nazia Jamil introduced the pistachio kunafa bar in the menu when her expeditions to Dubai acquainted her with a first-hand experience of the dessert. Blown away by the flavours, Jamil whipped it up from scratch and introduced the bar as a part of her cloud kitchen menu alongside Nutella bars, Biscoff bars, bento cakes and cake tins, which one may avail at her newly-launched Darga Road outlet as well! “The pistachio kunafa bar is one of the best things I have come across in my nine long years of being in the trade. It has taken immense precision to get the textures and balance of the creamy and crispy right, so as to present it as it was meant to be,” says Jamil.
Pocket pinch: Rs 400 (approx 250 g)
How to order: Instagram (@cake_a_wish) and Whatsapp (97487 80808)
SHADES OF BROWN
Shades of Brown follows a strict no-preservatives policy for their handcrafted creations and has introduced the viral blend in both pistachio and rose flavours
Echoing through the corridors of Bhawanipur College, Komal Chitlangia’s affair with the cacao took flight when she decided to set up a stall in her alma mater’s food fest in 2014. Since then, there has been no looking back. Although not formally trained, Chitlangia owes her success to online tutorials and the guidance of trusted mentors, who have taught patience to be the most crucial of all ingredients. Shades of Brown, which shall soon be rebranded to Kovya premium chocolates, follows a strict no-preservatives policy for their handcrafted creations and has introduced the viral blend in both pistachio and rose flavours. “I specialise in flavours, be it with the pistachio kunafa bar or custom creations. I love to add the special shades of brown touch in every order,” signs off Chitlangia.
Pocket pinch: INR 75 (approx 20 gms)
How to order: Instagram (@shades_ofbrown_) and WhatsApp (+91 9073667539)
BONN TONN
Patrons can soon learn how to make Bonn Tonn’s kunafa pistachio bars themselves in baking classes launching soon, said Tanya Choudhary
Tanya Choudhary’s Bonn Tonn, best known for their fudgy sea-salt brookies and for birthing aspiring pastry chefs in every other house through a delicious panoply of educational reels, has also launched the kunafa pistachio bar a handful of days back. Soon after completing her patisserie training from Le Cordon Bleu’s London campus, Choudhary established Bonn Tonn, exemplifying its French translation of “good taste.” Spearheaded by this super mom along with her own mother, what started as a single-person entity is now a heady team of 12, puffing out over 150 menu items and gourmet gifting solutions on the daily.
“The delicate balance of dark and white chocolate elevates the treat to unimagined heights. We add fresh cream to the filling to lend it an extra-gooey punch. Patrons will also soon be able to learn how to make this for themselves in our formal coaching vertical scheduled to launch soon” shares Choudhary.
Pocket pinch: Rs. 100 (approx 25 g) and Rs. 490 (approx 150 g)
How to order: WhatsApp (+91 9874451300), Website (www.bonntonn.in), Swiggy, Zomato
MAKE IT YOURSELF!
Want to try making Kunafa bar at home? Follow the link for a one-way ticket to kunafa land!
