This Dubai chocolate candy bar has gone viral and now you can get it in Wilmington

Chocolate confections are nothing new. But that doesn’t mean a new candy bar can’t cause a stir. One sweet treat has been getting millions of views on social media, especially TikTok, for the past several months.

As a result, demand has boomed all over the world and copycat bars can be found all over the internet. And now, the viral sensation has recently landed in Wilmington.

What is it?

It’s a stuffed candy bar with flavors inspired by the knafeh, a pistachio-filled Middle Eastern dessert. It usually includes a pistachio cream mixed with toasted kataifi, a shredded phyllo dough, and tahini. It’s encased in chocolate and typically decorated with gold leaf or a splash of edible paint. People love the play of tastes and textures that make it sweet, salty and crunchy.

Where did it come from?

Most credit Fix Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai with creating the original. They make a variety of stuffed candy bars. But with the popularity, a variety of other makers – both professional and home-based – have created versions.

Where can you get it in Wilmington?

Carolina Candy Company & Gifts makes most of their own confections, but they will also source something unique. That’s the case for the Dubai chocolate bar. After searching for the right maker, they decided to import them from the Ritonka chocolatier in Austria. They recreate a version that’s thick, like the original. It's about $30 for two chunky bars decorated with flecks of gold leaf and a dainty pistachio. So far, they’ve brought in two batches of the candy bars and they’ve been big sellers. While the process for importation has been difficult, at times, they’re considering bringing in one more shipment. They are at 894 S. Kerr Ave. in Wilmington.

Meanwhile, Kerri Beard with Half Cup Confections has been making her own version of the bar. It’s a thinner bar, but with the same crunchy pistachio cream in the individual squares. Hers also have a bronzy sheen and with a slightly less filling-to-coating ratio, they are more chocolate forward. The former caterer operates as a pop-up business, where she also sells stuffed cookies, cake pops and other treats, usually for about $5 a piece or in bundle specials. She’s often at The Bend in Ogden on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, as well as a rotating selection of breweries and festivals.

STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the area’s latest food news by signing up for the Port City Foodies newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram .

Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: This Dubai chocolate candy bar has gone viral and now you can get it in Wilmington