What is Nama Chocolate?
Nama Chocolate is a type of Chocolate Ganache made traditionally from fresh cream and cocoa, hence the name, “Nama” which is Japanese for “raw” referring to the “fresh” ingredients. Since it is made with “fresh” cream, Nama chocolate cannot be kept as long as other chocolates, and tastes best straight out of the fridge. It requires cool temperatures to keep its solidified shape. The Swiss “Pave De Geneva” (a smooth, rich ganache) is extremely similar to its Japanese counterpart.
It is said that Nama Chocolate was invented by Japanese chocolatier and pastry chef, Masakazu Kobayashi. He later introduced Meltykiss (if you grew up in Asia you would know this!)- a well loved childhood chocolate snack – when he joined Meiji. Royce, Hokkaido based chocolate company, later came out with their line of “Nama Chocolate”in 1996 which has become and continues to be a well-loved delicacy (especially in Asia).
Our Version – how did we Veganize it?
Long story short, the first time I even realized you could make it from scratch was when my boyfriend made it for me. He surprised me with box of HOMEMADE vegan Nama Chocolate for Valentines Day. I was shocked that he had even figured out how to make it. I opened the box, in awe, which revealed a a neat line of truffles dusted with cocoa. It was just as I had remembered from my younger memories of eating Royce. My first bite surprised me. The truffles had the same smoothness and richness that Nama Chocolates had. I fell in love immediately.
After bugging him for the recipe for days, he finally relented. The recipe is so easy. You only need tofu, vegan chocolate and maple syrup. Tofu replaces the cream in this recipe giving the Nama chocolate the smoothness and bulk it needed. Melted Chocolate is used to add the “cocoa flavor” and also adds fat to hold its structure. This protein rich, guilt free treat is only 25-30 calories for one small square! To be honest, I eat at least 3-4 in one sitting (I mean how can you only take one?). I’ve been loving these as a quick snack to satisfy my sweet tooth. It’s one of the BEST and easiest snack I’ve made in a while. Of course, it would make a great present/treat for you love one!
Not to mention Royce Nama Chocolate probably costs $$$$, so this is a simple way of making this at home at a fraction of the cost!
What kind of tofu to use?
There are many variations of tofu – firm, soft and silken. They are ALL slightly different. Out of the 3, silken is the most delicate and gives the creamiest texture. It is usually used in Korean/Japanese cooking so I would opt for using a japanese/korean brand of silken tofu. Soft tofu, on the other hand, is actually the chinese version of silken tofu, and is slightly coarser in texture. It will NOT yield the same “creamy” texture as korean/japanese silken tofu. I’ve tried both and SILKEN TOFU by far tastes better!
- 300g Silken Tofu* (See Notes)
- 300g Vegan Chocolate Chips (or Chocolate bar, use good quality)
- 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
- Garnish:1 tbsp Cocoa Powder (Good Quality)
- Measure out 300g silken tofu and set aside on a flat plate. Put a plate/ wooden chopping board on top, and weigh it down with something heavy
- You want to squeeze the excess water. Set aside for 30 minutes (don't leave it for any longer! If the tofu crumbles, thats fine because it will be blended up later).
- Drain the water and pat the tofu dry.
- Place a bowl of a simmering pot of water (make sure its not touching), add chocolate chips. Remove when chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Place the drained tofu, chocolate and maple syrup in a blender to blend ill smooth.
- Line a 8 x 8" pan with parchment paper.
- Pour the chocolate mixture in. Smooth out with a spatula and place in freezer for at least a couple hours or overnight. You need to let it harden and then transfer the chocolate to the fridge to let it soften before eating.
- Remove from pan. Use a sharp knife to slice into small squares (making sure to clean the knife after each cut!)
- Scoop cocoa powder into a small sift and dust the top of the cut chocolate.
- Store in the fridge in a airtight container. It can last for 5 days.
For those living in HK: this is the brand I get
Hello, I’m really interested in your recipe!
I have tried to do it but my nama turns out very sticky. I think that I may drain too much water from the tofu. Could you please suggest the approximate weight of the drained tofu? Thank you so much!
Hi Tam! Thanks for trying our recipe out. I’m not sure why it was sticky, one thing is because it wasn’t frozen/ cold enough before you cut it. Each fridge have different temperatures so it could vary.
I would say when you cut it out, running your knife under hot water really helps. It does get a little messy but you dust it with cocoa powder to cover the blemishes and the you put it back to let it get cold again. Only take it out when you want to eat it!
Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any more questions