How to make MATCHA Nama Choco | Velvety smooth Chocolate for Valentine’s Day! (EP263)
Today I’m going to be making Matcha Nama Choco (Chocolate).
Nama choco is a Japanese style velvety, smooth chocolate, perfect for Valentine’s day!
The aroma and the bitterness of matcha green tea go very well with milky white chocolate.
What is “Nama Choco” ?
“Nama Choco” was invented in the early ’80s by a Japanese confectioner.
It’s basically chocolate ganache that melts in your mouth instantly.
Before “Nama Choco,” there was no such soft and velvety chocolate in Japan. I was so impressed by the texture when I had it for the first bite.
In the ’80s, we were in the Bubble Economy (strong economy) ; everybody wanted luxury things. “Nama Choco” was born to fulfill the people’s demand for richer dessert. That’s my best guess!
What the Japanese Valentine’s day like?
In Japan, there are 3 types of chocolate.
- Honmei (Real love) Chocolate: The one for partner
- Giri (obligatory) Chocolate: For boss and co-workers
- Tomo (friends) Chocolate: For girlfriend
If you are a Japnease girl, it costs you certain amount of money.
Oh, I almost forget “Gohoubi Choco” (Treat myself) which is the highest price! Lol.
What is “Tomo Choco”?
“Tomo Choco” is a tradition to exchange chocolates among classmates or friends in swimming school or piano lessons or something like that, anyone who knows you.
It’s a relatively new tradition in Japanese society, started about 20 to 25 years ago.
The average amount of Tomo Choco is between 30 to 50.
If you have girls in your family, it would be hectic at this time of the year.
It’s almost like Halloween in the United States.
The chocolate should be handmade. And of course, it should be tasty and look pretty. But it should not be too expensive.
So I recommend simple wrapping with a muffin cup and a plastic bag.
So the cost for a package should not be too high, the top right is an easy and cheap wrapping.
Put The chocolate in the muffin cup and then put it in a plastic bag.
It is selling at the hundred yen shop, 20 pieces per hundred yen.
Fold the end on the opposite side to shape it in a pyramid. Close it with a stapler.
If you want to make it a little bit more pretty, put on a string or ribbon.
It doesn’t cost you anything but looks cute!
Insert a skewer which is also sold at a hundred yen shop, in the gap.
Easy, cheap and fast wrapping is done!
I hope the tip is helpful!
Matcha Nama Choco
Equipment
- bowl
Ingredients
- 200 g white chocolate
- 100 ml heavy cream (fresh cream) 40% fat
- 1 tsp Matcha powder
- ½ tsp sugar
Instructions
Preparing the mold
- I am using 15cm (≒6 inches) mold.Line the parchment paper inside.Fold your parchment paper to fit your mold.Fold it first, and then adjust.If you make a nice fit, you don't have to cut off the edge of the chocolate.※If you don’t have a square mold, you can use a similar size container, and if you don’t have parchment paper, you can use plastic wrap.
Matchα Nama Choco
- Melt your chocolate over 60°C of hot water.※The temperature of the hot water should not be too hot.You can stick in your finger 2 to 3 seconds and you can't go more than that is about 60°C. Set aside while we are preparing other ingredients.
- Matcha powder is not easy to dissolve in heavy cream.To help dissolve easily, I always mix it with a small amount of sugar first.And then add heavy cream little by little.
- Add a little bit more heavy cream and mix well and transferred into a small pot passing through a sieve.
- Heat it on medium-low heat and cook until just before boiling.
- Whisk white chocolate gently until melt.
- Add in 1/3 of hot Matcha mixture, whisk gently for one direction.To homogenize the chocolate and heavy cream, you should start whisking in the center and draw a small circle.Make sure it goes in one direction.And you feel the resistance of chocolate, do not go further.If it's not easy to whisk, that’s the sign of the emulsify the chocolate and heavy cream.
- Add the rest of the half of heavy cream, and whisk again.Whisk gently and slowly until it looks shiny and very smooth.
- Transfer to prepare the mold.If there are air bubbles on the surface, just break it with a toothpick.Or if you have a kitchen torch, you can vanish the air bubbles in a second.
- Let it cool to room temperature and then cover with a plastic wrap and let it set in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, peel off the parchment paper and cut into the desired size.If you want it to be like a professional finishing, use a ruler and cut it to the same size.And using a thin blade knife and warm it up in hot water is crucial. You can get a sharp edge and clean cut.