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.
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 literally 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!
Table of Contents
What is Nama Chocolate?
Nama Chocolate is a form of 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 truffles because the chocolate is poured into a square pan, chilled until firm, then cut into mini squares. No messy hands since there’s no rolling required.
What Does Nama in “Nama Chocolate” 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.
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.
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.
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 comment below. Are they similar or exactly the same?
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. For this recipe, please do not replace chocolate with white chocolate (which I used in Green Tea Chocolate).
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.
Green Tea Matcha Nama Chocolate
Here’s a Green Tea Matcha version!
Other Delicious Chocolate Recipes
These chocolate goodies are perfect for special occasions or as a hostess gift during the holiday season. I hope you enjoy making this Nama Chocolate recipe!
- Frozen Chocolate Banana
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Chocolate Almond Toffee
- Chocolate Chiffon Cake
- Matcha Gateau au Chocolat
- Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nutella
- Valentine’s Day Chocolate Recipes
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Nama Chocolate
Video
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)
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.
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.
- 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.
- 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).
- When you see small bubbles form around the edges of the saucepan, remove it from the heat.
- 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).
- Mix until the chocolate is melted and there are no more lumps. The chocolate and cream mixture should be completely smooth.
- If you‘d like, add 1 Tbsp liqueur of your choice (optional), and stir to incorporate.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the surface with the silicone spatula.
- 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.
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.
- With a sharp knife, cut off the stray pieces of excess chocolate around the four sides to make sharp corners and edges.
- 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.
- 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.
- Next, cut the strips into cubes. Remember to clean and warm up the knife before each cut.
- 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.
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.
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
- 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
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on February 6, 2012. The content has been updated.
I followed the recipe exactly but mine won’t harden. Please Help!
Hi Michaela, Thank you very much for trying this recipe!
We are sorry to hear that your’s didn’t harden.😞 Please read the important note from Nami at the bottom of the recipe and see if it could have happened. We hope this helps!
Made this for my husband this week and he loved it! Added 1 tbsp of dark rum. Never had or heard of nama chocolate before until randomly found it on Google. Next time instead of booze can I substitute booze for vanilla extract??
Hi Cynthia, Thank you very much for trying this recipe! We are glad to hear your husband love this Chocolate!☺️
If you would like to skip the alcohol, yes, you can substitute it with extract or simply replace it with heavy (whipping) cream. We hope this helps!
I love the “au lait” (milk chocolate) version of Royce chocolate. Thank you for making this recipe so clear and easy to make. 🙂 Is the recipe the same if I get high quality milk chocolate (40-50% cacao)?
Hi Mary, It should work with milk chocolate. However, please note that milk chocolate should never be heated above 110ºF (43ºC) during the process of melting.😉 Thank you for trying this recipe!
Namiko-Sensei, after we have mixed these ingredients can we pour it into a silicone mold so can get chocolate in different shapes? Or do you advise against this?
Hi Ashton, Yes! You can pour it into a silicone mold! It will be very cute.🙂 Thank you very much for trying this recipe!
Hi, I tried this recipe and it was excellent, thank you! Just wondering, can the heavy whipping cream be replaced with cooking cream? Cos that’s what I have in the pantry right now
Hi Kit, We have never tried this recipe with cooking cream. If your cooking cream contains more than 36% fat, it should work. Please let us know how it goes.
please help
me with the measurements, it says 3/4 cup cream, 3/4 cup is only 96 grams, then for the chocolate it says 14 oz which is 396 grams. on your recipe notes you said the ratio is 1:2 cream:cholate… could you please provide the exact measurements in grams? thank you very much.
Hi Kristine! We are installing a new measurements plugin, and now the Metric conversion is available in the recipe card. Please click “US Customary – Metric” below the ingredients list so that it will give you the amount in grams. Thank you very much for trying this recipe!❤️
I want to make this recipe with my high school Japanese class. What can be used instead of the liqueur? Will extracts work? Thanks for your help.
Hi Kristine, Thank you for choosing this recipe for your high school Japanese class! The liqueur is optional, and you may skip it. If your chocolate is not smooth at Step 7, please add the liqueur amount of heavy (whipping) cream. We hope this helps!
Hi I just saw this post and am currently trying to make nama Chocolate, however I realised as compared to Royce chocolate, my nama chocolate melts at a much faster rate at room temperature. Is there a way to fix this please? Your feedback would be much helpful! Thank you!
Hi Luke, Thank you very much for trying this recipe! Homemade desserts like this use fresh cream, and Nama Chocolate must be kept in the refrigerator at all times, and it is best enjoyed fresh, within 4 days after being made. Using an ice pack to keep the cooler temperature may help.🙂
I used 400gm dark chocolate chips, and 200ml of whipping cream and followed everything as per your recipe. I chilled the chocolate in a 8×8 inch glass container overnight. But when I took it out in the morning it did not solidify. Plesse advice me what I did wrong.
Hi Ivy,
It may happen because your chocolate temperature got too high when you were melting the chocolate or got a small amount of water in it during the process.
Please review the recipe notes in the recipe card, and we hope you will give this recipe a try again.
Thank you for trying this recipe!
Hey Nami, thanks so much for the recipe. I tried it and it tasted really great! However, the batter turned out to be quite stiff, it wasn’t that smooth as yours. I used half of all the ingredients, 70% Callebaut chocolate and heavy cream that contains 36% milk fat. May i know what is the reason?
Hi Jolene,
Thank you very much for trying this recipe! We are so happy to hear it tasted really great.☺️
As for the texture, did you waiting for 5-10 minutes before serving? It gets soft enough to melt in the mouth instead of chilled and hard chocolate.
Hi Naomi, thank you for your reply. Yes, the taste was really good. just the texture was a bit stiff, so when I poured the batter into my pan, it didn’t flow out smoothly. I am wondering why is it so stiff.
Hi Pua Jia Yee,
I see…
As Nami mention in the recipe card notes, Seizing happens when moisture is introduced to melted chocolate (even a tiny amount of liquid or steam). It happens all of a sudden from a smooth bowl of liquid chocolate to a lumpy, grainy mass of chocolate. Even a small amount of water/steam can “seize” the chocolate melting process.
Do you think this is your case?
Hi Nami, thanks so much for the recipe, it looks simple gonna try it in this weekend. I do not have a 8x8inches pan but a smaller one with 5×5 inches. I am wondering if it is alright to cut the amount of all ingredients into half?
Hi Jiayee,
Sure. You can try half of all the ingredients. It should work just fine.
Thank you for trying this recipe!
I only have 35% bulla cream here. I have nothing higher than 35%. Can i try to use it for the recipe?
Hi Yi,
We’ve never used 35% fat bulla cream before, so we are not sure how the outcome will be… please let us know how it goes! 🙂
Hi!
I tried it and it tasted great! However the fat/oil separated and was floating on top of the Nama Chocolate. Any idea why?
Thanks xx
Hi Ria! Did you use heavy (whipping) cream (38% fat) or other creams?
Separation (oil came out of the chocolate) happens when you get the chocolate too hot. We hope this helps!
Hi!
Can I use non-lactose cream?
Thank you xx
Hi Ria!
If the non-lactose cream contains around 38% fat, it should work fine.
You can also try full-fat coconut milk. A reader tried it and said it worked great and didn’t taste the coconut.
We hope this helps!🙂
Hi!
Am I able to halve the recipe? I have 200g chocolate.
Thank you! xx
Hi Ria!
Yes. You may use half of all the ingredients.😉