Dubai chocolate bonfire skillet cookie

The cook

1. 01

   Step 1GET THE FIRE SORTED

   Light your charcoal and let it burn cleanly. On a kettle, bank the coals to one side, leaving room for a 24 cm cast-iron skillet entirely over the coal-free side. On a kamado, start with access to direct heat for toasting, then fit the heat deflector for baking. Aim for a steady 180°C with the lid closed. Skip smoking wood.

2. 02

   Step 2TOAST THE CRUNCH

   Melt the 20 g butter in the skillet over moderate direct heat. Add the kataifi and cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring constantly, until evenly deep golden and crisp. Move the pan away from the coals whenever it gets too fierce. Pale pastry brings chew; golden pastry brings the crunch.

3. 03

   Step 3MAKE THE CENTRE

   Tip the toasted kataifi into a heatproof bowl and leave for 5 minutes, then stir in the pistachio cream and 1 g salt. Set aside. Carefully wipe the skillet clean and let it cool until safe to handle and no longer hot enough to melt the cookie dough. Set up the barbecue for indirect cooking while it cools.

4. 04

   Step 4MIX THE DOUGH

   Beat the softened butter with both sugars until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then fold into the butter mixture just until no dry patches remain. Fold in the chocolate chunks. It should be thick, soft dough, not batter.

5. 05

   Step 5BUILD THE BASE

   Grease the cooled skillet with the remaining 5 g butter. Press roughly three-fifths of the dough across the base and about 2 cm up the sides. Use the back of a spoon to level it out. Keep the base even so you don't end up with one burnt corner and one doughy lump.

6. 06

   Step 6HIDE THE GOOD STUFF

   Spread the pistachio-kataifi mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 cm border around the edge. Flatten pieces of the remaining dough between your hands and lay them over the filling. Gently join the patches and seal them to the border, covering the centre completely.

7. 07

   Step 7BAKE OVER INDIRECT HEAT

   Put the skillet on the indirect side of the kettle or above the kamado's heat deflector. Close the lid and bake at 180°C for 30–40 minutes. Rotate the skillet halfway through using proper heatproof gloves. Keep the lid shut otherwise — this is baking, not a spectator sport.

8. 08

   Step 8CHECK THE COOKIE

   Look for firm edges and a set, lightly cracked top. The middle should feel soft but not ripple like wet batter. A skewer pushed into a dough section, avoiding the filling and chocolate chunks, should show moist crumbs rather than glossy raw dough. Give it another 5 minutes if needed. We want molten chocolate, not uncooked flour and egg.

9. 09

   Step 9REST, THEN DIVE

   Lift the skillet onto a heatproof trivet and rest for 15 minutes. That pause lets the cookie settle while the chocolate stays gooey. Scatter over the chopped pistachios and add the ice cream, if using. Serve warm with big spoons, keeping everyone clear of the hot pan and handle.