[1] Sugar-free tomato tang on everything from burgers to omelets (photos #1 #2, #3, and #5 © G. Hughes Sauces | Industries Lassonde Inc.).

[2] We gave bottles to certain friends for the holidays.

[3] America’s #1 favorite ketchup food.

[4] While there’s already ketchup in most barbecue sauces, some people like to dip their ribs in ketchup (photo © Easy Buy 4U | iStock Photo).

[5] G. Hughes’ sugar-free ketchup’s Nutrition Facts label, commonly referred to as the nutrition panel, nutrition label, or nutrition box.

America will consumes a lot of ketchup over Memorial Day Weekend, so we deemed it appropriate to spotlight the sugar-free ketchup we’ve been using for a couple of years: G Hughes Sugar Free Ketchup.

Why sugar-free? We’re not keto, nor diabetic, nor dieting, nor in any other mode where one might want ketchup made with sucralose (the zero-calorie sweetener branded as Splenda*.

When we use ketchup, we use a lot of it; and we decided after tasting this product at a trade show that we should cut all that added sugar health professionals warn you about.

Below:

> The ketchup quandary: hidden sugar.

> G. Hughes Zero Sugar Ketchup.

> The top ways Americans use ketchup.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The history of ketchup.

> 50+ artisan ketchup brand reviews.

> The year’s 18 condiment holidays: dips, dressings, and sauces.

> The different artificial sweeteners: a photo glossary.
 
 
America consumes a lot of ketchup over Memorial Day Weekend, so we deemed it a good time to share the sugar-free ketchup we’ve been using.

Why sugar-free? We’re neither keto, nor diabetic, nor dieting, nor in any other mode where one might need something sugar-free.

But when we use ketchup, we use a lot of it; and we decided after tasting G. Hughes Zero Calorie Ketchup at a trade show that we chould cut all that hidden sugar that health professionals warn you about.
 
 
THE KETCHUP QUANDARY

Ketchup is one of those foods that seems harmless because we use it in “small” amounts—on fries, burgers, and eggs, among other foods.

But it’s also a classic example of hidden sugar in processed foods.

Use enough of it, and the result is that a seemingly savory condiment can quietly become a source of added sugar.

Added sugar shows up in so many packaged items—bread, sauces, salad dressings, snacks—that “a little here and there” can really add up, on top of the sugar you’re already consuming deliberately in coffee and desserts.
 
 
We Did The Math

We looked at the amount of ketchup we ate and found that all of those level tablespoons at 20 calories and 4 grams of total sugar each, easily added up to 100 calories whenever we used ketchup. And we thought:

Let’s try ketchup with 5 calories per tablespoon and zero grams of total sugar.

While 20 calories per tablespoon doesn’t seem enormous, why consume sugar we didn’t ask for? Plus, we have to admit that the sweet allure of the ketchup made us eat much more of it.

That’s why sugar-free ketchup made sense for us.

Our fries are still our fries, our burger is still our burger; we’re just not automatically pouring extra sugar on top of them.
 
 
G. HUGHES ZERO SUGAR SAUCES, MARINADES, & SALAD DRESSINGS

With a mother who was a great cook, Guy Hughes’s own passion for cooking flourished. As an adult, he loved to entertain, and became known for his neighborhood parties and picnics where his zero-sugar homemade sauces were the stars.

Friends, family, and neighbors asked if he could make sugar-free sauces for them. Encouraged, he started to manufacture them.

Today, G. Hughes makes some 50 sauces: barbecue sauces (12 flavors), dipping sauces (12 flavors), marinades (7 flavors), salad dressings (11 flavors), wing sauces (4 flavors), and three spice rubs—all with zero sugar.

We’ve tasted five of the sauce, and all deliver bold flavor. They’re they’re gluten-free, dairy-free, preservative free, and low carb. The sweetening agent is sucralose, which is marketed commercially as Splenda®.

The Sugar-Free Ketchup

Made with vine-ripened tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, salt, garlic powder and other spices—plus sucralose—the ketchup clocks in at just 5 calories a tablespoon and zero total sugars.

It’s made with vine-ripened tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, salt, garlic powder, spices—and the sucralose.

Unlike the big-brand conventional ketchups that taste like tomatoes and sweetener, G. Hughes tastes like tomatoes and vinegar.

There’s a puckery tang. Unlike sweet ketchup, the tang adds sophistication. And, we use less of it because we’re not shoveling in the sugar.

Now, for the contrarian view:

We came across a review on another food site where the team of reviewers totally trashed G. Hughes ketchup as “the worst ketchup brand” that “completely fails at being edible.”

“Starting with the color,” the review continues, “it has a weird orange hue to it…The color alone is enough to make you question your purchase because ketchup should never be confused with a bottle of buffalo sauce.”

Huh? Our G. Hughes ketchup, in color and texture, has been indistinguishable from any conventional ketchup. Those reviewers must have gotten a bottle that sat next to a furnace for too long.

Try it again, guys.
 
 
Get Your Sugar-Free Ketchup

For the nearest bottle:

 

[7] Please pass the ketchup (photo: The Nibble).
 
THE TOP WAYS AMERICANS USE KETCHUP

Most popular foods Americans use ketchup with aren’t much of a surprise, although the “less standard choices” below were not on our list.

In order of use, we add ketchup to:

 
Less Standard Choices

 
In the words of Henry James:

“Americans will eat garbage provided you sprinkle it liberally with ketchup.”
________________

*Splenda is the largest of the sucralose-based brands. Others include Walmart’s Great Value store brand; Signature Select, the private-label brand found at grocery stores like Acme, Albertsons, and Safeway; Canderel Yellow (note that Canderel Original is an aspartame-Acesulfame-K blend and Canderel Stevia Blend has stevia and sucralose). Other market-specific or international brands that use sucralose as their primary ingredient include Nevella, SucraPlus, Sukrana, and Zerocal.

Sucralose was discovered in 1976 by British food giant Tate & Lyle and researchers at Queen Elizabeth College, University of London. The story is one of the funnier accidents in food manufacturing. While researching new insecticides, Shashikant Phadnis of Queen Elizabeth College misheard the instruction of his advisor, Leslie Hough. Instead of “test” the chemical, he heard “taste” the chemical. So he tasted it—and found it to be extremely sweet (sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar).

Tate & Lyle subsequently developed sucralose-based Splenda® brand products in partnership with Johnson & Johnson subsidiary McNeil Nutritionals. The brand is now owned by Heartland Food Products Group of Indianapolis, Indiana.

†Ketchup is both a primary ingredient in the barbecue sauce used to baste the meat, and a condiment served alongside the cooked ‘que. Many Americans, especially in casual or home settings, use ketchup as a primary side sauce for grilled or barbecued chicken and pork.
 

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The marvelous chocolate bar sought by so many is filled with chopped pistachio nuts, tahini (sesame paste) mixed with pistachio cream, and knafeh, a crispy, flaky, traditional Middle Eastern pastry made from shredded phyllo dough* (photo #20).

Chocolate combined with pistachio isn’t a new idea, but the crunchy nature of the knafeh and tahini-pistachio cream filling have created something unique and wonderful.

We acknowledge that we’ve never had the original Dubai chocolate created by Sarah Hamouda (photo #6), a British-Egyptian entrepreneur living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Her atelier, FIX Dessert Chocolatier, can only make 500 bars a day, and even if you get to Dubai, they are only available via Deliveroo.

You can’t walk into a store to buy one, except for two pop-up-type locations at the Dubai Airport. (But warning: See the sad airport story in the ***footnote below.)

Otherwise, an order window opens twice a day in the online store, and the bars are usually sold out within a few minutes. [source].

You can order online, shipped from Dubai. As of this writing the bars are $20 U.S. on the website. We
plan to host a mega-tasting of all† of Sarah’s products this fall.

The bar that launched 1,000 likes (well millions, actually) debuted in 2022 (see the history below).

Sarah did not call it Dubai chocolate. That name was bestowed by Tik-Tok.

However, since the craze began, we’ve tasted every Dubai chocolate we could get our hands on: brands from the U.S., Europe, and Turkey.

Will the original bar best the current leader in our tastings, Dubai chocolate from Swiss chocolatier Läderach?
 
 
LOVE AT FIRST BITE

Since we had our first bite of Läderach’s Dubai chocolate, we’ve scoured America and beyond to find the best—and it’s not surprising that we found it from…drum roll…

Läderach! It’s the best Dubai chocolate by far, and it’s our Top Pick Of The Week.

Given how much we love pistachio, chocolate, and phyllo, we’d go so far as to call it our Top Pick Of The Year.

Before we extol the glory of Läderach, we’ll start with the origin of Dubai chocolate.

Below:

> The history of Dubai chocolate.

> What makes one bar better than the next?

> Our favorite Dubai chocolate from Läderach.

> Pairing wine with Dubai chocolate.

> A recipe to make your own Dubai chocolate.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The history of chocolate.

> The history of pistachios.

> The different types of chocolate: a photo glossary.

> The year’s 69 chocolate holidays.

> Pairing wine with chocolate.
 

[13] The original Dubai chocolate bar by Sarah Hamouda, made in Dubai, U.A.R., is called “Can’t Get Knafeh Of It,” punning on the crunchy knafeh inside the bar.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF DUBAI CHOCOLATE

Like some other culinary creations (Fettuccine Alfredo being the best-known), Dubai chocolate was born from pregnancy cravings.

As a high-end chocolatier, Sarah had plenty of crave-worthy treats from which to choose, but she wanted a chocolate bar with the flavors and textures of traditional Middle Eastern desserts.

She first imagined the bar in 2021, while she was pregnant. She and her husband Yezen Alani, co-owner of FIX, started to develop the bar the following year, while maintaining their corporate jobs.

The first bars were milk chocolate, followed by dark and white chocolate versions.
 

[14] Popularity of the original led to a dark chocolate Can’t Get Knafeh Of It.
 
 
The Anatomy Of The Bar

The name of the original FIX bar is Can’t Get Knafeh Of It, a chocolate bar filled with:

 
Here’s a surprise: Sarah Hamouda did not call her creation “Dubai Chocolate.” The soon to be world-famous bar was called “Can’t Get Knafeh Of It.”

She applies punny names to all* of her bars.

The layered ingredients create a unique texture contrast between the smooth chocolate exterior and the crunchy, nutty filling.

What started as a local Dubai delicacy quickly exploded into an international phenomenon when videos of people biting into the chocolate bars went viral on social media.
 

[15] The third in the triad: white chocolate Can’t Get Knafeh Of It.
 
 
The Origin Of The Name “Dubai Chocolate”

The name “Dubai chocolate” name evolved from a TikTok post that went viral in late 2023, after a food influencer, Maria Vehera, posted a video of herself eating one of the bars.

Thousands, and then millions, of viewers began searching for “that chocolate from Dubai” and it became a global sensation (one source cites 100 million views!). The visual appeal of the green pistachio filling against the chocolate and the hand-painted splash design on top made it perfect for exploding on social media.

“Dubai chocolate” became the catch-all search term, and the name for the thousands of copycats that followed—not just in chocolate, but in everything from pastry to beer.

Not surprisngly, FIX Dessert Chocolatier’s handmade bars sold out as fast as they could be created.
 
 
How Can You Get One?

The scarcity drove even more interest, with people traveling to Dubai specifically to try the chocolate or having friends bring bars back from trips.

Ever if you’re in Dubai, it can be tough to get your hands on FIX’s Can’t Get Knafeh of It.

The bars are only available via Deliveroo at specific times in Dubai.

Not surprisngly, Fix Dessert Chocolatier’s original bars selling out constantly and commanding premium prices. This scarcity drove even more interest, with people traveling to Dubai specifically to try the chocolate or having friends bring bars back from trips.

The viral success prompted chocolate makers worldwide to create their own versions of Dubai chocolate, leading to variations that incorporate different nuts, flavors, and textures while maintaining the core concept of kunafa-filled chocolate.

Alas, since ingredients can’t be copyrighted, Sarah may never receive the wealth and glory she deserves from her marvelous creation.

At best, a number of fanatics (like us) will order from her website for delivery overseas, and Dubai will become a tourist mecca.

And our best advice: Order the Dubai chocolate from Läderach.
 
 
Copycat Bars

As you can imagine, the quality of the bars varies with the overall quality of the producer.

Chocolate is categorized by‡:

 
There are also small bean-to-bar artisan chocolatiers. In the U.S., these include Amano, Askinosie, Dandelion, Fruition, Mast, Raaka, Taza, and Theo, among others.

After we tried the first 20 mass-market and commercial brands, and those from one level above, we decided to try only those of our favorite chocolatiers.
 

[16] You can have your cake, and a piece of Dubai chocolate, too (this is Läderach). Or, if you prefer:

 
 
 
WHAT MAKES ONE BAR BETTER THAN THE NEXT?

It’s the quality of the ingredients, of course, but also the preparation and the proportion.

“Proportion” turned out to be rather important.

Starting with the ingredients:

[1] Worth every cent—and calorie—is Läderach’s version of Dubai chocolate (photo: The Nibble).

[2] The ingredients. The thin white strands are the kataifi (photos #2 through #5 and #18 © Läderach).

[3] With all ingredients now incorporated into Läderach’s chocolate slab, a contrasting color of chocolate is used for a zigzag design.

[4] The huge slab is broken down into sizes for sale.

[5] Yes, we’ll take both pieces!

[6] Sarah Hamoudi, creator of what became known as “Dubai chocolate” (photo © FIX Dessert Chocolatier).

Everybody gets into the act:

[7] Dubai cheesecake (photo © Recipes By Mama | Chat GPT).

[8] Dubai brownies (photo © Dolce Bakes).

[9] A Dubai chocolate Easter Egg from a top Los Angeles chocolatier (photo © Compartes).

[10] Not just any pain au chocolate: a Dubai chocolate croissant (photo © Cocorico Boulangerie | Instagram).

[11] Dubai chocolate iced coffee to go with the croissant above. Here’s the recipe but you’ll need to run it through Google Translate (photo © Coffees GR).

[12] One of a number of craft brew Dubai chocolate beers (photos #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, and #18: The Nibble).

[12b] IHOP’s Dubai chocolate pancakes, a limited-time offer (photo © IHOP).

 
To this standard list, we have to add:

 
But we far preferred Läderach’s thin, slab style, about half as thick.

 

[17] Our Top Pick Of The Week (and Top Pick Of The Year): Läderach’s Dubai chocolate.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF LÄDERACH & FRISCHSHOGGI CHOCOLATE

Läderach was founded in 1962 in a small village in the central-eastern part of Switzerland. Founder Rudolf Läderach Jr. came from a local family of bakers.

In 1970, Rudolf patented a revolutionary process for manufacturing thin-walled, hollow chocolate balls to be filled for truffles. Chocolate truffle shells were difficult and messy to produce. His invention enabled chocolatiers to fill the premade shells efficiently, fundamentally changing professional truffle production.

For decades, Läderach operated primarily as a B2B supplier, providing the shells and other high-quality chocolate products to pastry shops and hotels. In 1981, Läderach expanded to Dillenburg, Germany and began to export overseas.

It wasn’t until 2004, following the acquisition of a retailer of premium chocolates, pralines, and confectionery—the Swiss confectionery chain Merkur Confiserie AG—that Merkur’s chain of retail chocolate boutiques enabled Läderach to become a global consumer brand, rebranded with the Läderach name.

Twenty years later, by 2024, Läderach employed some 2,000 people in 20 countries. The company has 220 boutiques, 100 of which are located in Europe; and as of early 2026, 40 to 45 boutiques across the U.S.**. It also sells online.
 
 
The FrischSchoggi Line

The FrischSchoggi line (Swiss German for “fresh chocolate”), of which their Dubai is part, was launched in 2004. It was a deliberate attempt to move away from the boxed chocolates that had been around since the Victorian age.

(Richard Cadbury is credited with the invention of boxed chocolates in 1861, with his “Fancy Box.” Prior to then, chocolates were sold in simple paper bags or plain tins. Richard, who was also an artist, designed a highly decorative box featuring a painting of his own daughter holding a kitten.)

Back to FrischSchoggi:

The chocolate was made in slabs like bark, but the key selling point was freshness. The chocolate is produced in Switzerland and shipped to global boutiques within days.

The customer experience was also exciting: large, hand-broken slabs behind glass display cases. Customers specify the exact weight or piece they want, and it is packaged in transparent bags to showcase the texture. There are numerous flavors. (We frequently give them as impressive little gifts). These are currently available in the U.S.:

 
When Läderach first launched Dubai FrischSchoggi, it was so coveted they had to implement a “one slab per person” rule in stores to prevent “chocolate scalping.”

> Get yours at Laderach.com.

> Take a look at all the FrischSchoggi flavors. You’ll want to bite every one!

> Läderach makes itx easy with curated assortments. There are 12 flavors in this large “boat”:
 

[18] It’s a FrischSchoggi festival! Get yours and invite your chocolate-connoisseur friends. Check out the wine pairings below.
 
 
PAIRING WINE WITH DUBAI CHOCOLATE

Pairings With Milk Or White Chocolate

Red Wines

 
White Wines

 
Pairings With Dark Chocolate

Since dark chocolate has more tannin, bitterness, and intensity, it pairs better with wines with a heavier weight:

 
 
A RECIPE TO MAKE YOUR OWN DUBAI CHOCOLATE

Thanks to Lindt for this recipe (photo below).
 

[19] Make plenty: Everyone will want some (photo © Lindt).
 
________________

*The FIX bars currently include Butter to Be Safe Than Salty, Baklawa 2 The Future, Can’t Get Knafeh of It, Cereously Chewsy, Honey I’m Comb, Jam or Go Nuts, Mahalabi Or Not To Be, Mind Your Own Speculoos, Pick Up A Pretzel, and Time To Mango.

**Current U.S. Läderach locations: California (Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco), Florida (Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay), Massachusetts (Boston, Braintree), New Jersey (Paramus, Short Hills), New York Metropolitan Area (Manhattan, Long Island, Central Valley), Texas (Houston, Dallas), and the Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia Area (Arlington and Tysons Corner).
 
***From FIX’s Instagram page: “So upset I came dubai for 2 hours to catch flight to uk but cant find ur stall there 😔 u should have stall both gate A n gate B but how i go to ur stall then go my gate not possible” [source].

†Kadayif (kataifi) refers specifically to the shredded, angel-hair-like pastry dough, ingredient. It’s also called kadayıf in Turkish). It looks like thin, pale noodles or shredded wheat and is made by drizzling batter through a fine sieve onto a hot surface, creating wispy strands that are typically toasted in butter until crunchy. It’s an ingredient in different desserts or savory dishes. Kadayif and kunafa is the term used in Turkey and Arabic regions, while kataifi is the common Greek term.

Knafeh (kunafa) is a classic Middle Eastern/Levantine pastry, the final, cream- or cheese-layered dessert made using shredded kataifi dough as its base and topping, soaked in syrup.

In the context of Dubai chocolate, the Can’t Get Knafeh of It chocolate bar from FIX Dessert Chocolatier uses toasted kataifi strands mixed with pistachio cream and tahini, all enveloped in chocolate. Thus, the filling is inspired by knafeh’s flavor profile and uses knafeh’s signature ingredient, kataifi, in a deconstructed, no-syrup, chocolate-bar format.
 

[20] Shredded phyllo is known as kadayif or kataifi (photo © Aslid | Amazon).

††More Dubai-flavored products:
> Baked goods: babka, brioche, brownies, cakes, cheesecakes, cinnamon rolls, cookies, crêpes, cronuts/donuts, croissants, éclairs, macarons, muffins, tarts/tartlets.
> Beverages: cappuccinos/lattes, hot chocolate, iced coffee drinks, matcha drinks, milkshakes, smoothies.
> Frozen foods: ice cream/gelato/Frozen yogurt, ice cream bars/rolls/sandwiches.
> Spreads and confections: brittle/bark, caramels, chocolate bars/chocolates/truffles, fudge, pistachio butter cups, pistachio knafeh spread (like Nutella and Speculoos).
> More: granola, oatmeal, overnight oats, pancakes/waffles, popcorn, protein bars/energy bites, yogurt/yogurt parfaits.
 
‡These are just examples of companies in the categories, and does not mean that all of them produce Dubai chocolate.

‡‡No one in the U.S. can explain why only the milk chocolate Dubai is available here. While it’s our favorite, we have pals who bring the dark and white Dubai back from Europe. Dubai pralines (bonbons) are available in dark, milk, and mixed dark/milk boxes.
 

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[1] Candied orange peel is so easy to make—and so delicious (all photos: The Nibble).

[2] We made a double batch: one with minced candied orange peel, and one with the peel plus mini chocolate chips. Here’s the basic, buttery shortbread recipe.

[3] Elevate your Old Fashioned: Instead of a regular orange peel garnish, treat your Old Fashioned (and yourself) with candied orange peel. The peel recipe is below; here’s the Old Fashioned recipe.

[4] You can slice the peel as finely as you like (photo: The Nibble).

May 4th is National Orange Peel Day, a holiday many people wouldn’t even think twice about. But lemon peel—and its fellow peels, grapefruit, lime, and orange—are so much more than a discarded twist on a Negroni.

Below:

> Recipe for candied lemon, lime, grapefruit, or orange peel.

> Different ways to serve candied citrus peel, both sweet and savory.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The year’s 13 orange and mandarin holidays.

> The history of oranges.

> The history of lemons.

> The different types of lemons: a photo glossary.

> The year’s 14 lemon holidays.

> The history of limes and the different types of limes: a photo glossary.

> The year’s 45+ citrus holidays.

> Recipe: Lemon chiffon cake with candied lemon peel.

> Recipe: Grapefruit meringue pie with candied grapefruit peel.
 
 

[5] Plain or dipped in chocolate, candied orange peel is a treat that deserves its own holiday (photo: The Nibble).
 
 
RECIPE: CANDIED GRAPEFRUIT, LEMON, LIME, OR ORANGE PEEL
 
Candied citrus peel is delicious plain or dipped in chocolate.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PEEL the skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut into julienne strips 1-1/2 inches long and 1/16 inch wide.

2. SIMMER in water for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just tender when bitten. Drain.

3. REFRESH in cold water and dry on paper towels.

4. BOIL the sugar and water in a small saucepan to the thread stage, 230°F on the candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

5. STIR in the peel and the vanilla and let stand in the syrup for at least 30 minutes.

6. DRAIN when ready to use. Under refrigeration the peel will keep in the syrup for several weeks.

To coat in chocolate:

7. MELT a chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips of choice. Dark chocolate or white chocolate works better than milk chocolate.

8. DIP the individual pieces of peel in the chocolate, and place on wax paper to dry.
 

[6] You can make candied peel with any citrus fruit.

Candied citrus peel is a versatile pantry staple that adds a bright, concentrated burst of flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. Here’s a “starter” list
 
Desserts

 

[7] With a supply of candied peel in the fridge, you’ll always have a sophisticated garnish at hand.
 
Chocolate and Confections

 

[8] Mix minced candied peel into the bark, and decorate the top with twists.
 
Beverages and Cocktails

 
Savory Uses

 

[9] Baste your chicken with orange juice, then garnish with candied orange peel and fresh orange slices (photo: The Nibble).
 
________________
 
*Store bought candied fruit mix, often labeled as “fruitcake mix” or “glacé fruit,” is nothing like what you can candy yourself—and in fact, the low quality is a reason many people don’t like fruitcake. Instead of sugar, the fruits are candied with corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavor and dyes, and lots of preservatives (benzoate of soda, potasium sorbate, sorbic acid, and sulfer dioxide.
 

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