These Matcha Nama Chocolate Truffles are so easy to make but taste just like the expensive Royce Chocolates. You can make these budget-friendly matcha chocolates over a stove: no double boiler needed! Smooth and aromatic, they're simply delicious but not too sweet, as the earthiness of the matcha balances the sweetness of the chocolate. (Done in 30 minutes, with 3 hours chilling time.)
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⭐ Why This Recipe is a Star
- Matcha Nama Chocolate is so easy and delicious: Making Nama chocolate 抹茶生チョコレート is so simple, it's quite common in Japan. You simply melt cocao, mix in cream, and then chill in the fridge. The key question is the proportion of cocao:cream, which I've shared below. It's also very easy to customise the chocolate, you can add Matcha Powder, as I've done, alcohol, or other ingredients!
- Budget-friendly: Matcha powder isn't inexpensive, of course, but homemade is definitely cheaper than buying Royce Chocolate! Plus you can always use Green Tea Powder if you want (just note it will not have such a vibrant green color.)
- Simple Ingredient List: Like with easy matcha pound cake, you can get almost everything for these Nama Chocolates from the regular supermarket these days. No need to head to the Asian grocer!
🥘 Ingredients
You will only need 4 simple ingredients for these matcha truffles:
- Heavy Whipping Cream: If you can, use ⅓ Cup Hokkaido cream. (Only available at select Japanese grocery stores.) If not, use a high quality heavy cream/ whipping cream with 38% fat.
- White Chocolate: I prefer to use 6 oz couverture white chocolate from Valrhona or Barry Callebaut.(I sometimes also make these green tea truffles with (natural) pink Ruby chocolate, which has a slightly fruity flavor. (Do not use white chocolate chips, milk or dark chocolate.) If you want to use a chocolate bar, you will need to cut it into smaller pieces so that it melts more evenly. (Use a good quality chocolate bar like Lindt. NEVER Cadbury regular chocolate. The chocolate you use must contain cocoa butter, not vegetable oil!) The taste will also be less melt-in-your-mouth if you use bar chocolate.
- Matcha Powder: Since there are so few ingredients, I would usually recommend using the highest quality ingredients. However, you can just a good culinary matcha powder. (It's less premium than the higher-grade ceremonial grade matcha powder, but good enough for this recipe.) We will need 1.5 Tablespoons: 1 for mixing with the chocolate and ½ for dusting. (You can use a bit more if you want a stronger matcha flavor, but not too much or the chocolate will be powdery.) Check that your matcha powder is still a bright green fine powder - older matcha has a dull color. (See below.) If you're on a budget, you can use Japanese green tea powder, but note that the flavor and appearance will change slightly.
Note: you will also need parchment paper to prevent the chocolate from sticking! Some people like to add butter, but I don't.
📖 Variations & Substitutes
- Milk Nama Chocolate: Next time, try the regular Nama chocolate recipe: omit the matcha and use milk chocolate instead of white chocolate. (Do NOT use chocolate chips- they contain stabilisers and won't melt "properly.") Dust cocoa powder onto the chocolate instead of matcha powder.
- Dark Nama Chocolate: as above but use dark chocolate couverture. Dust cocoa powder onto the regular Nama chocolate instead of matcha powder.
- Vegan: I have not tested this with almond milk, but I used to sell a vegan version. Let me know if you want the recipe!
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
- Line your baking tin with parchment paper. Pour your ⅓ cup heavy (whipping) cream into a DRY small saucepan.
2. Over medium heat, bring the fresh cream ALMOST to a boil over medium heat- you will see small bubbles around the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat.
3a. Immediately add the 6oz of chocolate and stir with a DRY heat-proof spatula.
3b. Keep stirring till all the chocolate has melted into the cream and the mixture becomes smooth. (There should be no more lumps.)
4a. Whisk in the Tablespoon of matcha powder.
4b. Pour into the baking tin lined with parchment paper. Tap the tin against the counter to get rid of air bubbles. Cover and chill for 3-4 hours, till solid.
4c. Lift the parchment paper/ chocolate out of the tin. Run a sharp knife through hot water then carefully wipe it dry. (This helps it cut the chocolate more easily.)
4d. Cut the matcha green tea chocolate into your desired sizes, then sift the remaining matcha powder over the chocolate.
🥡 How to Store
These Royce Chocolate Copycats need to be refrigerated ASAP as they will melt fast at room temperature!
Place parchment paper in an airtight container, then transfer the chocolates onto the parchment paper (in a single layer.) Finish within 2-3 days.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips for Smooth Chocolate
Tip #1: Another way is to use the bain-marie. Put an alumnium large bowl over a pot of boiling water, ensuring the water doesn't touch the bowl. Stir the chocolate in the alumnium bowl, till melted, then mix in the cream and matcha ganache. (Make sure no steam gets into the chocolate.)
Tip #2: The biggest problem with making Nama Chocolate is siezing of the chocolate. This happens if even a drop of water is introduced, so make sure everything is very dry and that no steam touches the chocolate. (If not, your chocolate will become lumpy or grainy and no longer have a velvety texture.)
Tip #3: If your chocolate becomes too hot, it will separate and you will see oil oozing out. You can't use it for Nama chocolate but you can use it for brownies or something else!
💭 Recipe FAQs
In Japanese, Nama means raw.
One of the most famous brands of Nama Chocolate, is Royce, which uses Hokkaido cream, resulting in a very smooth chocolate that melts in your mouth- and sometimes at your touch! If you've never tried it before, Nama Chocolate is very similar to Pave de Geneva and Bien Etre (from La Maison du Chocolat.)
🥗 Other Matcha Recipes
Enjoyed this easy homemade Matcha Royce Chocolate Recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below! If you're a matcha lover and REALLY liked this dessert, please consider supporting it by buying me a bottle of soy sauce! 🙂 (No obligation though!) Thank you and have a great day!
3-ingredient Matcha Nama Chocolate
Equipment
- 1 DRY pot
- 1 DRY heat-proof spatula
- 1 sieve
Ingredients
- ⅓ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream Preferably Hokkaido cream from Japanese markets. If not a 36-38% fat cream
- 6 oz Couverture White Chocolate Valrhona or Barry Callebaut is good (I sometimes also make these green tea truffles with (natural) pink Ruby chocolate, which has a slightly fruity flavor. (Do not use white chocolate chips, milk or dark chocolate.) If you want to use a chocolate bar, you will need to cut it into smaller pieces so that it melts more evenly. (Use a good quality chocolate bar like Lindt. NEVER Cadbury. The chocolate you use must contain cocoa butter, not vegetable oil!)
- 1½ Tablespoons Matcha Powder 1 Tablespoon for whisking into the chocolate, ½ for sifting over the chocolate. Culinary grade will work but make sure it's still bright green. (See photo in post.)
Instructions
- Line your baking tin with parchment paper.
- Pour your ⅓ cup heavy (whipping) cream into a DRY small saucepan. (Moisture will make the chocolate sieze, and turn it grainy.)
- Over medium heat, bring it ALMOST to a boil over medium heat- you will see small bubbles around the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat.
- Immediately add the 6oz of chocolate and stir with a DRY heat-proof spatula. Keep stirring till all the chocolate has melted into the cream and the mixture becomes smooth. (There should be no more lumps.)
- Stir in the Tablespoon of matcha powder.Pour into the baking tin lined with parchment paper.
- Tap the tin against the counter to get rid of air bubbles. Cover and chill for 3-4 hours, till solid.
- Lift the parchment paper/ chocolate out of the tin. Run a sharp knife through hot water then carefully wipe it dry. (This helps it cut the chocolate more easily.)
- Cut the chocolate into your desired sizes, then sift the remaining matcha powder over the chocolate. Enjoy!
Notes
Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.
Nutrition
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