There’s something so joyful about Easter bakes — playful, nostalgic, and just a little bit whimsical, often transporting us back to childhood and Easter egg hunts. When I encountered the dubai chocolate trend, I couldn’t stop thinking about how wonderfully the flavours of pistachio and tahini would work in a basic Easter nest cake, so I had to try it. I often find food trends a bit overdone and style over substance, but these ingredients have all stood the test of time, so i’m making an exception!

These Dubai-inspired Chocolate Easter Nest Cakes might just be my new favourite. They’re an elevated twist on the classic chocolate nest, bringing in a gorgeous mix of Middle Eastern flavours with creamy tahini, luscious pistachio cream, and the irresistible crunch of kataifi pastry (rather than gum-piercing shredded wheat!).

I shared a quick reel of these on Instagram recently and had so many messages and a huge reaction to them! They’re unbelievably simple to make, but taste incredible and most importantly, balanced in sweetness. Think crisp, buttery pastry tangled in glossy chocolate, mellow nuttiness from tahini, and a surprise hit of sweet pistachio at the centre. They’re light, moreish, and just so pretty — I think you’ll be as big a fan as I am!

Ingredients & Where to Find Them

Let’s talk about the ingredients — there aren’t many in these cakes, but each is really important and some are a little tricky to find at the moment (although as the trend grows, i expect this will change!)

Dark Chocolate

The base of our nests! Choose something smooth and not too bitter to balance the earthy tahini.
Recommended:

Lindt Excellence 70% – silky and well-balanced
Tony’s Chocolonely Dark 70% – ethical and delicious
Callebaut Dark Chocolate Callets – great if you’re baking in bulk

Tahini Paste

Adds depth, richness, and a subtle nutty flavour — like peanut butter’s grown-up cousin.
Recommended:

Belazu Tahini – stone-ground and silky, available in most UK supermarkets
Med cuisine Sweet Tahini butter sauce-– slightly sweet and great for baking
Pistachio creme
Recommended:

Veggy Duck– 45% pistachios, imported from Sicily, available online
M&S Pistachio creme -– rich, creamy and at the affordable end of the spectrum
Black Milk pistachio spread – Winner of two Great Taste stars! Available on Amazon and Ocado

Kataifi (Kadayif) Pastry

Shredded pastry traditionally used in Middle Eastern desserts. Once baked, it adds an amazing, light crunch.
Where to find:

Bakkalim: Ready baked and shredded
Buy online from Melbury & Appleton, Sous Chef or Turkish/Greek supermarkets
Mini Eggs

A classic Easter touch – for colour and crunch.
Recommended:

Cadbury Mini Eggs – a timeless favourite
Doisy & Dam Good Eggs – for a vegan-friendly option

Chocolate, tahini and pistachio Easter nest cakes

Makes 12 nests

Ingredients:
200g dark chocolate
2 tbsp pistachio cream (plus extra to fill)
1 tbsp tahini paste
200g kataifi/kadayif pastry
25g pistachio nuts, finely chopped
Mini eggs

Separate the pastry strands and bake at 180C fan for 15-20 minutes, turning often, until golden and crisp. Allow to cool, then use your fingers to break up the pieces.
Melt the chocolate, using the microwave in short bursts or over a bain marie, then stir in the tahini and pistachio cream. Add the pastry, stir well, then form into 12 nests on lined baking trays.
Make a small indentation in each, fill with pistachio cream, then decorate with chopped nuts and eggs then leave for at least 1 hour to set.

Tip: you can use shredded wheat instead of the kataifi pastry if you can't find it, but it is much tougher to eat, so I recommend the pastry instead!

Let me know if you give them a try — I love seeing your bakes! Tag me @marthacollison and i’ll share my favourites.