Silky-smooth Nama Chocolate with fresh cream simply melts in your mouth. Rich, moist, and decadent, these sweets are a very popular gift item from Japan. With my copycat recipe of the famous ROYCE‘ chocolate, you can easily make this special treat at home.

Rich and smooth Nama Chocolate on a cake stand.

If you are a frequent visitor to Japan, you probably have heard of or tasted this Japanese chocolate called Nama Chocolate (生チョコレート). You can’t really avoid it at the airport gift shops. They come in fancy packaging that makes them a popular gift item to bring home from Japan.

Nama Chocolate is rich, smooth, and moist, with a silky texture that practically melts in your mouth. The good news is you don’t have to fly to Japan to enjoy the luxurious sweet. With this recipe, you can make your chocolate dream come true today!

Rich and smooth Nama Chocolate on a floral plate.
Rich and smooth Nama Chocolate on a floral plate.

What is Nama Chocolate?

Nama Chocolate is a form of chocolate ganache, similar to the filling inside French truffles. It’s made of fresh cream and chocolate, cut into little cubes, and dusted with fine cocoa powder.

We can only call it “Nama Chocolate” when it contains at least 40% chocolate and 10% cream by weight, and no more than 10% water.

Nama Chocolate is much easier to prepare than chocolate truffles because the chocolate mixture is poured into a square pan, chilled until firm, then cut into mini squares. No messy hands since there’s no rolling required, but it has the same decadent chocolate flavor.

Rich and smooth Nama Chocolate on a cake stand and a plate.

What Does Nama Mean?

Nama (生, pronounce [na-ma]) means raw or fresh in Japanese. The name Nama Chocolate refers to the plentiful use of rich, fresh cream in the chocolate.

Because of the fresh cream, we must refrigerate Nama Chocolate at all times and enjoy them within 4 days of making them. You can also keep in the freezer for up to a month.

If you’re planning to give Nama Chocolate as a gift, make sure to let the gift receiver know to consume soon.

Rich and smooth Nama Chocolate on a wooden board.

History of Nama Chocolate

In 1988, the owner and chef Masakazu Kobayashi at the sweet shop Sils Maria created a new type of chocolate, and he named this chocolate Nama Chocolate and Nama Choco (生チョコ) for short.

In 1993, Meiji, a snack company, released a chocolate product called Meltykiss (メルティーキッス) which was produced and supervised by chef Kobayashi. You can purchase a box of Meltykiss at Asian supermarkets, convenience stores, and train kiosks in Japan. This chocolate is known for its limited-time offering during the winter months as the chocolate melts quickly during the rest of the seasons.

Nama Chocolate, Meltykiss in a box.

Since then, major confectionery manufacturers started to sell Nama Chocolate, and it became a huge trend all over the country.

In 1996, Hokkaido-based ROYCE’ (ロイズ) released ROYCE’ Nama Chocolate. Many of you probably spotted this chocolate at the airports or gift shops at sightseeing spots in Japan. Due to their popularity, this Nama Chocolate is known to visitors who have been to Japan.

Rich and smooth Nama Chocolate in a box.

Although “Nama Chocolate” was invented in Japan in the late ’80s, this specific type of chocolate called “Pave de Geneva” was born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1930s. Pave de Geneva is made of chocolate and fresh cream and cut into small cubes smeared with cocoa, just like Nama Chocolate.

I’m not sure whether the Japanese chef had traveled to Geneva and knew of Pave de Geneva, or he figured out the Nama Chocolate formula on his own. Regardless, this is not an original Japanese product as it existed in Switzerland.

If you’re a Genevan who tried both Pave de Geneva and Nama Chocolate, please share your thoughts in the comments below. Are they similar or exactly the same?

Ingredients You’ll Need

You only need three ingredients (and four with the optional liqueur) for this ROYCE’ copycat recipe. 

  • dark chocolate (70% cacao) – choose a good-quality product; use semisweet chocolate if you prefer a less bitter taste
  • heavy (whipping) cream – use cream with 36% milkfat
  • liqueur of your choice – optional, to taste; I use brandy
  • Dutch-process cocoa powder – to dust on the chocolate squares; you can buy it on Amazon
Rich and smooth Nama Chocolate on a cake stand.

How to Make Nama Chocolate

Here’s a brief overview of how to make this sweet treat; see the recipe card below for the complete instructions.

  1. Chop the dark chocolate bar (or block of chocolate) into smaller pieces with a sharp knife.
  2. Line a square baking dish with parchment paper.
  3. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat on the stove. Do not boil. When you see small bubbles form around the edges of the saucepan, remove it from the heat.
  4. Add the chocolate pieces into the cream and stir with a silicone spatula to combine. Mix until the chocolate is melted and there are no more lumps. Add the optional liqueur and stir. 
  5. Pour the smooth chocolate mixture into the prepared baking dish. Chill in the fridge for several hours until firm. 
  6. Cut into squares with a sharp knife run under warm or hot water and wiped dry with a kitchen towel. Dust with cocoa powder.

Keep the Nama Chocolate refrigerated until ready to serve. Let it sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes beforehand so it‘s soft enough to melt in your mouth.

The prep time plus cook time is 30 minutes, but with 4 hours of chilling time, the total time for this recipe is 4.5 hours. 

Tips for Making Nama Chocolate

1. Use Good Chocolate

High-quality chocolate is mandatory since that’s the most important ingredient for making delicious Nama Chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is made of 100% cocoa butter and does not include vegetable fat in the ingredient list.

2. Use Heavy Cream

American heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (they are the same thing) has a 36–38% fat content. The ratio of heavy (whipping) cream (gram/ml) and chocolate (gram) should be 1:2.

3. Dry and Clean Utensils

Make sure the bowls and utensils you are using are perfectly dry. Even a small amount of water/steam can “seize” the chocolate melting process. It can happen all of the sudden from a smooth bowl of liquid chocolate to a lumpy, grainy mass of chocolate.

4. Do Not Substitute White Chocolate

For this recipe, please do not replace chocolate with white chocolate. For a white chocolate version, you can make my matcha Green Tea Nama Chocolate recipe, which includes unsalted butter as an additional ingredient.

A Japanese plate containing matcha chocolate.

FAQs

Why did my chocolate release oil?

Separation (when oil comes out of the chocolate) happens when you get the chocolate too hot. Never heat dark chocolate above 120ºF (49ºC) and never heat milk chocolate and white chocolate above 110ºF (43ºC). When chocolate gets too hot, the cocoa butter separates from the solids, and there is no way to salvage it (although you can bake with it and it tastes fine).

The best way to prevent separation is to stir the mixture frequently. Since we’re not using a double boiler in this recipe, make sure you do not bring the mixture to a full boil. Remove from the heat as soon as you see bubbles around the edges of the saucepan.

Why did my chocolate seize?

Seizing happens when moisture is introduced to melted chocolate, even a tiny amount of liquid or steam. When this happens, a smooth bowl of liquid chocolate can suddenly become a lumpy, grainy mass. To prevent this, make sure the bowls and utensils that you are using are perfectly dry.

Can I use white chocolate in this recipe?

Please do not replace the chocolate with white chocolate for this recipe. The ratio of heavy cream to chocolate is not the same as this recipe. If you want to make a white chocolate version, see my Matcha Chocolate recipe.

Other Chocolate Recipes You’ll Love

These chocolate goodies and desserts are perfect for special occasions or as a hostess gift during the holiday season. I hope you enjoy making this Nama Chocolate recipe!

Rich and smooth Nama Chocolate on a cake stand.

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Rich and smooth Nama Chocolate on a cake stand.

Nama Chocolate

4.69 from 241 votes
Silky-smooth Nama Chocolate with fresh cream simply melts in your mouth. Rich, moist, and decadent, these sweets are a very popular gift item from Japan. With my copycat recipe of the famous ROYCE‘ chocolate, you can easily make this special treat at home.

Video

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 36 perfect squares + uneven squares

Ingredients
 
 

  • 14 oz good-quality dark chocolate (70% cacao) (use semisweet chocolate if you prefer a less bitter taste)
  • 200 ml heavy (whipping) cream (¾ cup + 4 tsp; 36% milkfat)
  • 1 Tbsp liqueur of your choice (optional, to taste; I use brandy)
  • Dutch-process cocoa powder (to coat the chocolate; you can buy it on Amazon)
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Instructions
 

Before You Start…

  • Please note that this recipe requires a chilling time of 4 hours. Also, read the Notes section at the end of this recipe card for important tips to successfully make this Nama Chocolate.
  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Nama Chocolate Ingredients

To Prepare the Nama Chocolate

  • With a sharp knife, chop 14 oz good-quality dark chocolate (70% cacao) into smaller pieces so that they will melt faster and more evenly.
    Nama Chocolate 1
  • Line an 8- x 8-inch (20- x 20-cm) baking dish with parchment paper. Tip: To make the chocolate the correct height, it‘s important to choose a dish or tray that‘s the right size; if you use a bigger tray, the chocolate will be flatter.
    Nama Chocolate 2
  • Add 200 ml heavy (whipping) cream (¾ cup + 4 tsp) into a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat the cream to ALMOST a boil. Whisk lightly to evenly distribute the heat. Keep an eye on the cream to make sure it doesn‘t boil. Tip: Overheating the cream may cause the chocolate to separate in the next step (see Notes below for more information).
    Nama Chocolate 3
  • When you see small bubbles form around the edges of the saucepan, remove it from the heat.
    Nama Chocolate 4
  • Next, add the chocolate pieces into the cream and stir with a silicone spatula to combine. Tip: Make sure your utensil is completely dry; introducing even a tiny amount of water or steam may cause the melted chocolate to seize (see Notes below for more details).
    Nama Chocolate 5
  • Mix until the chocolate is melted and there are no more lumps. The chocolate and cream mixture should be completely smooth.
    Nama Chocolate 6
  • If you‘d like, add 1 Tbsp liqueur of your choice (optional), and stir to incorporate.
    Nama Chocolate 7
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the surface with the silicone spatula. 
    Nama Chocolate 8
  • Tap the baking dish onto the counter a few times to make sure the chocolate is evenly distributed. Refrigerate until firm, about 4–5 hours.
    Nama Chocolate 9

To Cut the Chocolate

  • After chilling for 4–5 hours, remove the chocolate with its parchment paper from the baking dish. Peel away the parchment paper from the sides.
    Nama Chocolate 10
  • With a sharp knife, cut off the stray pieces of excess chocolate around the four sides to make sharp corners and edges.
    Nama Chocolate 11
  • Warm up the knife with a hot towel. Then, cut the chocolate slab into 1-inch (2.5-cm) strips. Make sure to clean and warm the knife before each cut to achieve a nice sharp cut.
    Nama Chocolate 12
  • If your baking dish has curved edges and corners like mine, the edge strips may not be the ideal shape for cutting into neat chocolate cubes. If that‘s the case, cut off and save these chocolate pieces for yourself to enjoy.
    Nama Chocolate 13
  • Next, cut the strips into cubes. Remember to clean and warm up the knife before each cut. 
    Nama Chocolate 14
  • Using a sugar duster or fine-mesh sieve, sprinkle the cubes on top with Dutch-process cocoa powder. Optionally, if you prefer the powder to completely cover the chocolate, you can dip each piece in the cocoa powder to coat all sides.
    Nama Chocolate 15

To Serve

  • Keep the Nama Chocolate refrigerated. Serve it on a plate, or put it in a box as a gift. I recommend letting the chilled and firm chocolate sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before serving so it‘s soft enough to melt in your mouth.
    Nama Chocolate 16

To Store

  • Keep in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Notes

IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE MAKING!
  • Separation (when oil comes out of the chocolate) happens when you get the chocolate too hot. Never heat dark chocolate above 120ºF (49ºC) and never heat milk chocolate and white chocolate above 110ºF (43ºC). When chocolate gets too hot, the cocoa butter separates from the solids, and there is no way to salvage it (although you can bake with it and it tastes fine). The best way to prevent separation is to stir the mixture frequently. Since we’re not using a double boiler in this recipe, make sure you do not bring the mixture to a full boil. Remove from the heat as soon as you see bubbles around the edges of the saucepan.
  • Seizing happens when moisture is introduced to melted chocolate, even a tiny amount of liquid or steam. When this happens, a smooth bowl of liquid chocolate can suddenly become a lumpy, grainy mass. To prevent this, make sure the bowls and utensils that you are using are perfectly dry.
  • To learn more details and how to fix overheated or seized chocolate, please read here.
  • The ratio of heavy whipping cream and chocolate should be 1:2. Please do not replace the chocolate with white chocolate for this recipe. The ratio is not the same.

Nutrition

Calories: 17 kcal · Carbohydrates: 1 g · Protein: 1 g · Fat: 2 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 7 mg · Sodium: 2 mg · Potassium: 4 mg · Sugar: 1 g · Vitamin A: 73 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 3 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: chocolate
©JustOneCookbook.com Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any website or social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Did you make this recipe?If you made this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #justonecookbook! We love to see your creations on Instagram @justonecookbook!

 Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on February 6, 2012. The content has been updated.

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4.69 from 241 votes (206 ratings without comment)
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Would this recipe work with champagne instead of a liquor?

Hi, Cara! We’ve never attempted this recipe with champagne before, and we’re not sure how it will turn out.
If you try it, please let us know how it goes!😊

Hii, could I use whipping cream about 30% milk fat for this recipe, do I need to alter the quantity? Thanks🫶🏻🫶🏻

Hello, Mehr. Thank you for taking the time to read Nami’s post and try her recipe!
It may work by adding some butter to this recipe, but we have never tried it before and are unsure of the results.
Please let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

Hi Naomi
I would like to Add Baileys Irish Cream to the Nama Chocolate.

Would you suggest the amount to add?
Thanks.
I have made it without the alcohol before. And ❤️ it.

Now to make it for adults.

Jacqui

Hi Jacqui, Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
You may add 1 tablespoon if you like. We hope that this enhances the aroma and flavor of the chocolate.
Let us know how it goes!

Tried this recipe and the Nama Choco was really tasty! What amount would you suggest if I would like to add Kahlua Coffee Liquor to Nama choco? Would it cause the chocolate to sieze?

Hi, Valerie! We’re happy to hear you loved Nami’s recipe!
We’ve never tried adding Kahlua before, and we’re not sure what the results will be. But the same 1 tablespoon could work!
Please let us know how it goes if you give it a try!😃

Hey, quick question. Can I do it without liquor? Can I just take it out or does it have to be replaced with something? If I have to replace it then what can I replace it with alcohol free?4 stars

Hi clara! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe.
You can replace the alcohol with heavy (whipping) cream.
We hope this helps!

hi Naomi,

Need your advice here.
Weather is hot here and I don’t have a chill room. Therefore, I will need to freeze the nama chocolate for firmer texture / easy handling.

Do I freeze it directly?
Or chill set (4hours ) + freeze after for 1 hour?
Which will be the better way ?

Do I need to clip wrap the chocolate when chilling/freezing to prevent sugar/fat bloom /freezer burn ?
Thank you.

Hi Nik, Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
We recommend chilling the chocolate first and freezing it. Because sudden changes in temperature can cause flavor loss and fat to rise to the surface and turn white.
We’d also like to point out that Nama chocolates will never harden, even in the freezer. So, when it has chilled in the refrigerator, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in a zip lock bag in the freezer.
To enjoy it, place it at room temperature for 30 minutes or less.
We hope this was helpful!

I was looking for recipes for a church event so I couldn’t use the alcohol listed. I see where you told someone else it is not needed. My question is can this be made successfully with 85% dark chocolate? My husband is diabetic so we always use that as it is so low in sugar and we never use sugar substitutes.

Hi r.a. Thank you so much for taking the time to read Nami’s post and try her recipe.
We only tried with 70% cacao, and we’re not sure if 85% cacao would work. You may need to add more cream to get the perfect texture.
Someone mentioned a 3:2 (Chocolate:Cream) ratio, but we never tried it.
Please let us know how it goes if you try it!

I made it with the 85% dark chocolate, 7 ounces with 200 ml of cream plus 1 tablespoon as I did not use any alcohol. This was a half recipe as it was a test of a number of different recipes for an event coming up at the end of the month. This chocolate treat was enjoyed by all, thanks for this recipe.

Hi r.a. Wow! Awesome! 🤩 Thank you very much for experimenting with Nami’s recipe and sharing your findings with us. This will be useful to many other readers who want to make the dark chocolate version.
Thank you very much for your contribution! ❤️

I followed the directions, but mine started to get…strange. I have this happen sometimes when making chocolate confections. It didn’t get gritty. An oily aspect of the mixture kind of separated out of it and it became greasy putty. When that happens when I’m coating things with chocolate, it’s unworkable, I just have to consider it a loss. But, with this, I didn’t finish adding the chocolate, I just immediately threw it in the 8in x 8in pan and put it in the fridge to cool. When I checked it, it had a thin oily coat to the top (not wet, solid after the time in the fridge). I wasn’t sure what to expect from it, but I tasted some and it was delicious. I flipped it over, cut it into cubes, and dusted it with raw, organic cacao powder, and it looked great — not so much like a science experiment gone awry anymore. 😉 I shared it with family and they raved about how rich and delicious it was. I’ve already gotten requests for me to make it again. I’d try making sure the chocolate chips are warmer next time. I think the temperature difference might have been part of the problem (I’m in a frosty climate). So glad I could save it, though! Thank you for the recipe. 🙂

Hi Liv! Thank you so much for taking the time to try Nami’s recipe.
We are glad to hear you and your family enjoyed the Nama Chocolate. 🤗
To avoid chocolate separation, we recommend reading Nami’s notes at the bottom of the recipe card. It might be due to the heating temperature or moisture.
We hope this helps you with your next attempt!

I was very careful about the temperature and the moisture. I think because I’m in such a cold climate, the “room temperature” chocolate might have been much colder than it would’ve been in another location. That temperature difference might have been responsible for the issue. Could I warm the chocolate in a double boiler before adding it to the cream? That would help with the temperature difference. Please let me know what you think. Thank you! 🙂

Hi Liv! Yes, you may warm the chocolate in a double boiler first and see if that works better for your location.
We hope this will be a solution. Let us know how it goes!

Thank you for sharing this recipe! Can I use non-dairy milk?5 stars

Hi, Nina. Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe.
It should work if the non-dairy milk or cream has a high-fat content. Although coconut cream may work, the flavor may differ.
We hope this helps!

I made this yesterday for Valentine’s Day. Family loved it. Taste and texture seemed great. Some pieces cracked as I was cutting it. Is it better to leave it out a little bit from fridge before cutting. And is it better to do a rocking motion? I don’t have a long knife.

Hi Sheri, Thank you so much for trying Nami’s recipe! We are so happy to hear that you and your family loved the Nama chocolate.
Yes, you can use a rocking motion. You can also try warming up your knife with hot water and wiping it down with a towel before each cut.
We hope this helps!

Like many other recipes of yours, it was amazing. Made it for the first time, already gone by everyone in the family.

One tip, instead of using a knife to shred the chocolate, use a food processor with a sharding disk; it takes less than a min :).5 stars

Hi Nir, Thank you so much for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your tip.
We are so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed homemade Nama Chocolate! 😊

Can I use regular cocoa powder? I don’t have Dutch-processed cocoa powder on hand

Hi Flo, Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
Yes, you can use regular cocoa powder if you prefer.
We hope you enjoy homemade Nama Chocolate!

I have been working on a white chocolate genache for the past day or two for chocolate truffles and center fillings for macaroons. I have been using the really old brand of Japanese tea yamamotoyamas genmicha roasted rice tea and steeping about 5 bags of the stuff steeping in my heavy cream and then strain out the tea parts to add to my chopped white chocolate. So far the white chocolate genache has a nice smokey rice taste from the tea that pairs well with the chocolate. I’ll have to try this method to make the melt chocolates, and dust them with confectioners sugar.

Hi Mkdunn, Thank you for reading Nami’s post! 🙂
Nami has a similar recipe to this using white chocolate too.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/green-tea-chocolate/
We hope this help too!

My mixture turned out a little bit thicker than yours. Should I add more whipping cream or use less chocolate?5 stars

Hi Jocelyn! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
Yes. You can add a very small amount of whipping cream and see how it goes.
We hope this works for you!

Hi Naomi, I tried this recipe the second time today. This time I doubled the amount of rum but the batter was still very thick. All my utensils were very clean and dry. I have noticed some of the readers posted the same comments below. The batter was smooth when I tried the green tea version but not this one. Should I add more whipping cream instead? If so, how much more?

Hi Jocelyn! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
Try 1 Tablespoon of whipping cream, and see how it goes. Don’t forget to warm the cream before adding it to the mix.😉
We hope this helps!

Thanks! Will try again soon!

I can’t wait to try this! Looks amazing. Am grateful I left Japan in the 70’s or I would have made a daily trip to my local train station for a box for sure – can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you.

Hi Pam! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and for your kind words!
We hope you enjoy Nama Chocolate soon!💝

Hi,

I have made your Nama chocolate before (with sea salt dark chocolate). It came out perfectly! I have a question though. Do you think it would be possible to use Nama chocolate to make hot chocolate? I ask because I can’t have red 40 and most hot chocolate have it in them for ‘appearances’, so I need to get creative in my house!

Your thoughts would be appreciated! Thank you.
Brie

Hi Brie! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
We have never used this chocolate to make hot chocolate, and we are sorry that we are not sure if it would work or not.
If you try it, please let us know how it goes!

Hi,

I occasionally make hot chocolate from scratch and always add chopped chocolate. I’d say follow your favorite hot cocoa recipe, and you can add nama choco near the end. The heavy cream and chocolate will make your hot cocoa richer, chocolatey-er, and sweeter. Make sure to scale the recipe down on sweetness and richness (type of milk, amount of sugar, amount of chocolate) depending on your taste. Stir well to make sure it’s incorporated.

Hope this helps!