Last Updated on April 2, 2024 by Share My Kitchen
Homemade Royce Nama Chocolate is rich, smooth, and delicious! This ROYCE’s copycat chocolate is made with high-quality dark chocolate and fresh cream. It is truly a wonderful treat! This is a popular gift from Japan, but you can make it in the comfort of your home.
Nama Chocolate is Japanese chocolate that you may have heard of or tried if you’re a frequent visitor to the country. It’s easy to find it in airport gift shops. These are very popular gift items that you can bring back from Japan because of their fancy packaging.
This chocolate is smooth, rich, and moist with a silky texture that easily melts in your mouth. The good news is that you don’t need to travel to Japan to enjoy this delicious chocolate. This recipe will make your chocolate dreams come true!
What is Nama Chocolate?
Nama Chocolate is a type of ganache, like the filling in French truffles. It is made from fresh cream and chocolate, cut into small cubes, then dusted with fine cocoa powder.
It can be called “Nama Chocolate” when it contains a minimum of 40% chocolate and 10% cream per weight, and it should not have more than 10% water.
This chocolate is way easier to make than truffles since the chocolate is poured into a square pan, then chilled until firm before being cut into small squares. There’s no need to roll, so you don’t have to worry about messy hands.
What Does Nama in “Nama Chocolate” Mean?
Nama (生, pronounced [na-ma]) is a Japanese word that means raw or fresh. It is called “Name” Chocolate as it refers to the generous use of rich, fresh cream in the chocolate.
Moreover, Nama Chocolate should be kept in the fridge all the time due to the fresh cream. It is also best enjoyed fresh, approximately within four days of being made. But, you can keep it in the freezer for up to one month.
This is a great gift idea, but make sure to tell the receiver to eat it as soon as possible.
History of Nama Chocolate
Masakazu Kobayashi, the owner of the sweet shop Sils Maria, created a new kind of chocolate in 1988. He called it Nama Chocolate or Nama Choco (生チョコ) for short.
Meiji, a snack manufacturer, introduced a chocolate product called Meltykiss (メルティーキッス). It was created and supervised by chef Kobayashi. Meltykiss is available at Asian supermarkets, train kiosks, and convenience stores in Japan. The chocolate melts quickly in the warmer months, therefore it is only available during winter.
Major confectionery manufacturers began to sell Name Chocolate then, and it became very popular all around the country.
The ROYCE (ロイズ) based in Hokkaido launched ROYCE’ Nama Chocolate in 1996. This chocolate is likely to be found at sightseeing spots in Japan, or at the airports. This chocolate is well-known to visitors to the country due to its popularity.
While “Nama Chocolate” was developed in Japan in the late ’80s, this specific type of chocolate known as “Pave de Geneva” was created in Geneva, Switzerland in the 1930s. Pave de Geneva is made from chocolate and fresh cream, and cut into small cubes and smeared with cocoa, similar to the Nama Chocolate.
It is not clear if the Japanese chef was familiar with Pave de Geneva, or if he created the Nama Chocolate formula on his own. Regardless, this isn’t a Japanese original product since it existed in Switzerland long before it was introduced in Japan.
Homemade Royce Nama Chocolate Recipe
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 15 mins |
| Chilling Time: | 4 hours |
| Total Time: | 4 hours, 30 minutes |
Ingredients
- 14 oz good quality dark chocolate (70% cacao; use semi-sweet for less bitter taste)
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream (38% fat; ¾ cup + 1 Tbsp to be precise)
- 1 Tbsp liqueur of your choice (optional; you can use Brandy, and adjust the amount according to your liking)
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder (to coat the chocolate)
Step-by-step Instructions
- Get all the ingredients needed.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the chocolate into smaller pieces. This will allow them to melt more quickly and evenly.
- Then, line an 8″x8″ (20×20 cm) baking dish with parchment paper. It is important to choose the right size tray for your chocolate. A larger tray will result in chocolate that is flatter.
- Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan, and bring it to an ALMOST boil over medium heat. Then, whisk the cream to distribute heat evenly. Keep an eye on it.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat if you notice small bubbles around the saucepan.
- Add the chocolate to the heavy cream. Then, use a silicone spatula to mix it all.
- Combine the cream and chocolate, and make sure you don’t have any lumps. You want the chocolate to be completely smooth.
- You can add any liqueur you wish.
- Next, pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Smoothen the surface using the silicone spatula.
- Tap the baking dish on the counter several times to ensure that the chocolate is evenly distributed. Then, leave it in the refrigerator for about 4-5 hours.
After Chilling
- Take out the chocolate from your baking dish.
- Trim excess chocolate around the edges to get nice sharp corners.
- Then, use a hot towel to warm up your sharp knife, and then cut the chocolate into 1-inch strips. Remember to clean and warm the knife between each cut to ensure a sharp cut.
- The four sides of the chocolate might not look great depending on the baking dish. These chocolate pieces can be saved for you to enjoy if that is the case.
- Next, cut the strips into cubes. Before you cut, clean and warm the knife.
- Sprinkle the cocoa powder over the top. You can also coat all sides with cocoa powder if you prefer it that way.
How to Serve
- Homemade Royce Nama Chocolate can be served on a plate, or you can put it in a gift box. Let the chocolate rest if it just came out of the fridge for at least 5-10 minutes before you serve it. This will ensure that the chocolate melts in your mouth, instead of being chilled and hardened.
How to Store
- You can place the chocolate in an airtight container, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the chocolate for up to one month.
Tips for Making Homemade Royce Nama Chocolate
1. Use Good Chocolate
It is mandatory to only make Name Chocolate with high-quality chocolate since it’s what makes it delicious. You must ensure that the chocolate contains no vegetable fat, and it is 100% cocoa butter.
2. Use Heavy Cream
American heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (they are the same) has a 36% to 38% fat content. The ratio of heavy (whipping) cream (gram/ml), and chocolate (grams) needs to be 1:2. This recipe also does not call for the substitution of white chocolate.
3. Dry and Clean Utensils
You must ensure that your bowls and utensils are completely dry. Even a little bit of steam or water can “seize” the process of melting the chocolate. This can occur suddenly, from a smooth mass of liquid chocolate to a lumpy, grainy chocolate mass.
These chocolate treats are great for holiday parties, or to give as hostess gifts. This Nama Chocolate recipe is sure to please! Enjoy!
NOTES
- When the chocolate is too hot, it can cause separation. This means that the oil comes out of the chocolate. The temperature of dark chocolate should not be exceeded 120°F (49°C), and whole milk and white chocolate should be kept at 110°F (43°C). If chocolate gets too hot, the cocoa butter will separate from the solids, and there is no way to save it (however, you can bake it, and it will taste great). Stirring the mixture often is the best way to avoid separation. This recipe does not use a double boiler, so do not bring the mixture to a full boil. Once you see bubbles around the edges, remove the saucepan from the heat immediately.
- When moisture is added to melted chocolate, even a small amount of steam or liquid, it’s called seizing. This happens quickly and forms a smooth, liquid-like bowl of liquid chocolate into a chunky, gritty mass of chocolate. Therefore, you should ensure that your bowls and utensils are completely dry. Even a little bit of steam or water can “seize” the melting process of the chocolate.
- The ratio of heavy whipping cream and chocolate needs to be 1:2. This recipe also does not allow you to substitute white chocolate for chocolate. The ratio you need is not the same.
