Hi everyone! This is Tran, intern #141, otherwise known as Obubu’s resident professional baker! During my time here at Obubu, I hope to be able to share with you recipes of my baking using Obubu’s tea powders and I hope you’ll enjoy making them as well as eating them! As today is White Day here in Japan, it’s only fitting to share with you a chocolate recipe so let’s get started!
What are Nama Chocolates?
Nama (生), in Japanese, means raw. In regards to nama chocolate, it is referring to the fresh taste. Nama chocolate is a type of ganache made which is made with two primary ingredients: chocolate and fresh cream. The end result is a smooth and rich melt in your mouth type of chocolate. In this hojicha nama chocolate recipe, we used a mixture of Meiji black chocolate bars and milk chocolate bars to create a bittersweet flavor.
What is hojicha?
Despite its brown color, hojicha (焙じ茶) is actually a green tea. The tea leaves are roasted in order to get their nutty flavor. By roasting the leaves at such a high temperature, almost all the tea’s caffeine content is extracted therefore making this tea low in caffeine. So if you’re ever craving a cup of tea at night, this would be a perfect tea to brew while still being able to get a good night’s sleep.
Here’s what you’ll need:
100g chocolate (we used Meiji black and milk chocolate bars)
50g heavy cream (preferably with a fat content of 35% or more)
8g salted butter
extra hojicha powder to coat
parchment paper (to line your container)
14cm x 9cm container
yield: 12 chocolate pieces
How to make the chocolates:
1.Line a 14cm x 9cm container with parchment paper.
2. Chop up the chocolate bars into small pieces so that they can melt easier and transfer to a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, heat the cream in the microwave until steaming.
4. Pour the heated heavy cream over the chocolates and let it sit for 1-2 minutes to allow the warm cream to melt the chopped chocolates.
5. Using a spatula, mix the chocolate and cream until smooth.
6. Add butter and mix until combined with cream and chocolate.
7. Next, sift in the hojicha powder and fold until combined.
8. Pour the chocolate mixture into the lined container and cover.
9. Chill the chocolate for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.
10. After chilling, remove the chocolates from the fridge and the container.
11. Using a knife, trim off the sides of the chocolate block to create a rectangle.
12. Cut the chocolates into 12 even pieces. (Refer to the notes on how to get clean cuts.)
13. Transfer the chocolates either onto a plate or into a chocolate box.
14. Using a sieve, dust extra poudre de hojicha on top of the chocolates.
And that’s all to it! The last step is to enjoy the chocolates with those around you! (Or just keep them for yourself as a little treat.)
Notes:
- Make sure to not get any water in the chocolates or else they might seize (meaning it will become stiff and grainy).
- To get clean cuts, warm up your knife in hot water, wipe off the water, make a cut and wipe it clean. Repeat after each cut.
- If you can’t find the exact dimensions of the container size listed above, don’t fret too much about it. Any small square or rectangle container should work. Just note that the bigger the container, the thinner the chocolates may be when spreading out the mixture.
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