How to Make Matcha Nama Chocolate
Matcha nama chocolate is a western-style Japanese truffle made with white chocolate, heavy cream, matcha powder, and butter. The matcha powder gives the white chocolate truffles a beautiful, vibrant green color, which cannot be achieved by using milk chocolate.
The popularity of matcha nama chocolate came from a popular nama chocolate shop based in Hokkaido called Royce'. They are a famous Japanese chocolatier that specializes in making many unique flavors of nama chocolate that include liquor, matcha powder, and even fruits.
The deep aroma of matcha powder, mixed with mellow white chocolate creates a wonderfully balanced sweet yet earthy flavor. You will surely enjoy the harmony of both matcha and white chocolate when you try matcha nama chocolate.
Matcha, which is often described to be bitter, is made from tea leaves called Tencha which are carefully grown in shaded or covered areas for a long period of time. This gentle yet tedious process of covering Tencha leaves reduces the astringent flavor in the leaves, and in turn, allows them to develop an aroma rich in umami. In order for the tea leaves to become matcha, they are stone-grounded into a fine powder.
If you're looking for a chocolate recipe for Valentine's Day, try making matcha nama chocolate. Your loved ones, friends, and family will become addicted to the unique flavor and texture of matcha nama chocolate. We also have a recipe for the original nama chocolate if you can't find matcha powder.
Stay tuned to learn how to make delicious matcha nama chocolate, with only a few ingredients.
Note: cooking with white chocolate can be a bit finicky, so we will share some tips at the bottom of this post for making matcha white chocolate successfully.
Overview
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 3hrs 0mins
Total time: 3hrs 5mins
Total servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 200g White Chocolate, chopped
- 65ml Heavy Cream (with at least 40% fat content)
- 12g Butter
- 7g Matcha Powder, for the chocolate mixture + 1 tbsp for dusting the chocolates with
Expert's Tip
If you don't have time to try making nama chocolate at home, then try this nama chocolate made with matcha green tea from Itohkyuemon, a traditional Japanese teahouse. You will enjoy the harmony of the sweetness of the chocolate, the bitterness of the matcha, and the silky texture that spreads in your mouth from the moment you take a bite.
Instructions
1) Gathering the Ingredients
Gather the ingredients together. Bring the butter to room temperature.
2) Chopping the White Chocolate
Chop the white chocolate into small pieces. This will help it melt into the cream mixture quickly and easily.
3) Combining the Matcha Powder and Cream
Sift the matcha powder into a saucepan to get rid of any lumps, Then, with a rubber spatula, mix the heavy cream into the matcha little by little. At first, the mixture will turn into a thick paste, but it will loosen up by the time you add in all of the cream.
4) Heating the Cream Mixture
Warm up the matcha and heavy cream mixture over a medium to low heat. Turn off the heat just before the mixture begins to boil. (You should just start to see tiny bubbles forming around the edges of the pan.) If your mixture boils, there is a high chance that the chocolate will separate from the cream, and you won't get the correct texture in the end. So please be careful.
Take the pan off the heat and transfer it to a different burner to let it cool. You want your mixture to be below 50℃ to prevent the ingredients from separating. If you don't having a cooking thermometer to check the temperature, touch the cream mixture with your finger and if it's not too hot to touch, it’s fine.
5) Adding in the White Chocolate
Once the mixture is warm, add in the chopped white chocolate. Mix the white chocolate into the cream until completely melts.
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6) Add in the Butter
Once the white chocolate is fully incorporated, add in a bit of soften butter and mix well. This will ensure that the matcha truffle mixture is soft and smooth. It will also provide a bit of shine to the mixture.
7) Cooling the Mixture
Pour the white chocolate mixture into a parchement paper-lined square or rectangular-shaped tray, and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours.
8) Serving the Matcha Nama Choco
When the matcha nama chocolate has set, remove it from the refrigerator and cut, them into your desired size and shaped pieces. Warm your knife in hot water beforehand for easier cutting. Finally, sprinkle with matcha powder, serve and enjoy.
Note: Nama chocolate has a short shelf-life due to the use of heavy cream. Please consume within 4 days of making. It should also be properly stored in the refrigerator to prevent it from melting.
Tips: White chocolate is a bit more difficult to melt that regular chocolate. We recommend following these tips to ensure your matcha nama chocolate turning out flawlessly.
- Ensure that the room temperature is not too low and stable when making matcha nama chocolate. Ideally, the temperature should be about 25°C (77°F).
- If even a drop of water gets into the chocolate, it will not solidify properly. Dry your utensils and cookware thoroughly before using them for this recipe.
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