Chocolate.
There are so many sayings about chocolate. But I like this one:
"Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies." - John Q. Tullius
I don't know many people who don't like chocolate, but to be honest, I once met a girl who was allergic to it. I remember being in awe when I heard that she couldn't eat chocolate. This post wouldn't be for her, but for you chocolate lovers out there, read on!
With Valentine's Day around the corner, these lightly flavoured Earl Grey Nama Chocolates would make the perfect gift for the chocoholic in your life.
Imagine a small piece of rich, velvety, smooth creamy chocolate that melts in your mouth... doesn't that sound divine?
If you've had ROYCE Nama chocolate or Melty Kiss from Japan, you'll know what I'm talking about.
WHAT IS NAMA CHOCOLATE?
Basically, nama chocolate is a super thick ganache -- think truffles, but in tiny square form. Made with high quality chocolate, melted in heavy cream, chilled until it's firm, cut and dusted with cocoa powder.
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN EARL GREY NAMA CHOCOLATE?
If you haven't, well I'm here to tell you that you can recreate nama chocolate in your own home, with only 4 simple ingredients:
- heavy whipping cream (36% MF)
- dark chocolate
- earl grey tea
- cocoa powder
It's that simple! Typically, nama chocolate does contain liqueur to enhance the chocolate flavour, but I've kept it simple by not opting to use liqueur.
HOW TO INFUSE THE FLAVOUR?
For this flavour combination, I picked earl grey and chocolate since I love the pairing of fragrant tea with chocolate.
The best way to do this is to infuse the heavy cream with the earl grey tea. Be sure to use a good quality earl grey tea and choose a high quality bittersweet chocolate.
You can switch up the flavour to whatever you like. And if you like your chocolate milder, switch it up to a semi-sweet chocolate.
MY EASY SMALL-BATCH RECIPE
It's a very simple recipe -- all you have to do is:
- Prepare a small container (I used a 4" by 3" container) with parchment
- Heat the cream over low heat
- Add the earl grey tea to steep with the cream
- Add in the dark chocolate
- Refrigerate for a few hours
- Cut into small pieces and dust with cocoa
- Enjoy
GREAT FOR GIFTING
Easy, yet luxurious enough for an occasion such as Valentine's Day. And who doesn't like handmade gifts from the heart? You'll be sure to impress your significant other when you surprise him or her with a box of these delicious homemade earl grey nama chocolates.
OTHER EARL GREY RECIPES
If you love Earl Grey as much as I do, check out these recipes:
Earl Grey Chocolate Sheet Cake
Let me know if you try out my recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment below.
Earl Grey Nama Chocolate
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 100 g bittersweet dark chocolate chopped into small pieces
- 1 bag Earl Grey tea
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder sifted
Instructions
- Prepare a small 4" by 3" container and line it with parchment paper. (You can use a smaller container if you have one on hand; just keep in mind your chocolates will be more thicker, and conversely, if you have a larger container, your chocolates will be thinner).
- Pour the heavy cream into a small sauce pan and place the earl grey tea bag in it. Bring the cream to a simmer over low heat. Press down on the tea bag gently with a silicone spatula to help infuse the tea into the cream.
- When the cream has come to a simmer, remove the tea bag and discard. Take the sauce pan off the heat and whisk the chopped chocolate into the heavy cream. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour into the prepared container and tap it to release any trapped air bubbles. Smooth out the top with a spatula, cover, and place into the refrigerator for at least 4-5 hours.
- Remove from refrigerator and using a serrated knife, cut into small pieces. Dust the top with cocoa powder. Serve nama chocolate chilled.
- May be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a clean, airtight container.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Nancy
Chocolate is my weakness XD. I never met a person who is allergic to chocolate before, but good thing chocolate isn't a key ingredient in a lot of things! I've never had ROYCE Nama chocolate or Melty Kiss before, but I am totally on board in trying it out. Anything that's bite-sized wins my interest XD. Thanks for sharing!
exquisitely.me
siftandsimmer@gmail.com
Yeah, definitely was surprised when she told us that she was allergic to chocolate... I think the entire group of us were staring at her with our mouths hanging. LOL. They're a Japanese-style chocolate, you could probably find it in an Asian/Japanese specialty store... BUT, of course you could always try out my small batch recipe too! 😀 Do let me know if you try it, Nancy, and thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
I've never heard of nama chocolate but they sound and look fabulous! Love the infusion of earl grey tea. They would be the perfect little treat for sharing on Valentine's Day!
siftandsimmer@gmail.com
Thanks Leanne! I love earl grey everything, so I thought the pairing of it with the chocolate would be nice. And definitely, small chocolate goods are always a must on Valentine's Day! 😀
Katherine | Love In My Oven
I would be devastated if I became allergic to chocolate - I have it every single day! These are so elegant with the earl grey infusion - I would love to gift these for my Mama 🙂
siftandsimmer@gmail.com
I know, right? I can't imagine not having chocolate... it's my saving grace some nights with the kids! I literally have to hide in the closet to have that piece of chocolate and then everything's alright with the world when I emerge! HEHE! That sounds like a wonderful and thoughtful gift for your Mom, Katherine! 🙂
Jenn
I love mixing different flavors with chocolate but I've never tried Earl Grey tea before! I'll be making this soon - it looks fabulous!
Nathan
What a fantastic flavor combo with the tea and the chocolate. These little chocolates are so cute, I can't wait to give them a try!
Neli Howard
Wow this chocolate looks incredibly delicious, loving the earl grey flavour especially. Yum!
Beth
Oh wow! I have two big chocolate lovers who are going to love this recipe! So excited to give this a try! Can’t wait!
Michelle
The chocolate lovers in your life will love it! Thanks Beth! 🙂
Michelle Boule
This looks delicious and I'm sure it really is! Can't wait to try this recipe!