Namelaka: The Japanese Chocolate Cream That Rivals Any Ganache

The next time you bake up a cake for a special occasion, hold off on making that chocolate ganache. Instead, wow your guests with the unique texture of namelaka. The Japanese gluten-free and egg-free cream will function almost the same as a chocolate ganache, making it the perfect way to top off your bake.

The melt-in-your-mouth consistency of namelaka is similar to a cross between a ganache and a mousse. Its smoothness ensures that it will spread across the top of your cake with a shiny finish, but it's thick enough that it will hold up on its own. The name itself even translates to "extremely creamy." The cream can be made using milk, dark, or white chocolate (which some say isn't actually chocolate) to create your desired flavor. 

The sweet cream was invented by Japanese pastry chefs sometime in the early 1990s at the L'École Valrhona, which has a location in Tokyo. Though its invention happened in the kitchen of a pastry school, you don't need a culinary degree to make namelaka yourself. In fact, it only requires a few ingredients.

Namelaka is fairly easy to make at home. All you'll need is some milk, malted milk powder (or its vegan substitute, kinako), heavy cream, your choice of chocolate, a little bit of salt, and a binding agent — gelatin is the most commonly used, but agar-agar can be swapped in for a vegetarian-friendly option.

You'll want to let the gelatin bloom in a few tablespoons of cold water first. Then, whisk together the milk, malted milk powder, and salt in a saucepan, and let it come to a boil. Remove it from the heat, and mix in the dissolved gelatin. In a separate bowl, add some chopped chocolate, then pour the hot mix of ingredients over it through a strainer. Whisk it until smooth, then add in the heavy cream.

Once all the ingredients are combined, cover the namelaka, and allow it to set in the fridge. The initial preparation is pretty quick, but the cream will need a while to set up. The setting time will take a minimum of four hours, though up to 12 hours is also recommended for the perfect consistency, so you'll need to plan ahead if you want to serve the namelaka at a party.

When your namelaka is completely cooled and ready to eat, it can be swapped in for any ganache needs. You can top off your cakes and cupcakes with the sweet cream — just be sure you grab a highly-rated mix if you're buying a box from the grocery store. You can also use it as a filling in between cake layers, fill the inside of your freshly baked pastries, or simply spoon it over the top of your treats.

If you want something a little fluffier in consistency, you can lightly whip the cream after it cools, and then add the namelaka to some tall glasses, alternating in layers with fruits and cake crumbles to create a treat resembling a quick trifle. You can also serve it separately in a bowl as a dip for vanilla wafer cookies, fresh fruit, or marshmallows.

The next time you bake up a cake in the kitchen, consider whipping up some namelaka to top off your dessert. The fluffy, chocolatey topping will be the perfect swap for ganache, and your guests will love the extra smooth texture.