The 5-Ingredient Fruit Sandwiches I've Been Making Since I Went to Japan

Six summers ago, I traveled to Japan and was introduced to Japanese fruit sandos. I was skeptical about them at first because cream and fruit in a sandwich didn’t seem that appealing. However, the first sandwich I tried used the fluffiest milk bread, Hokkaido whipped cream, and only the best quality strawberries. It was a simple but very yummy summer dessert that blew my mind. 

Since then, I’ve recreated the sandwich with various fruits and flavored whipped creams, making me fall in love with fruit sandos even more. The beauty of these sandwiches is that you can customize them to your preference based on what you’re craving and what fruit is in season. 

Tips for Making My Japanese Fruit Sandos

• Keep it chilled: Whipped cream and summer heat don’t play nicely, so when making this sandwich, keep everything very cold. Once the fruit is prepared, place it in the fridge. If it is an exceptionally hot day, I like to chill the bread as well before assembling the sandwiches. 
• Use high-quality, ripe fruit: I like using strawberries best in this recipe, but mangos, kiwi, and pineapple also work well. You can also try peaches, blueberries, melon, or cherries. Whatever you use, the fruit must be fresh and ripe. Frozen fruit will not work in this recipe since it releases a lot of liquid as it defrosts, which will affect the texture of the sandwich.
• Freeze for clean cutting: I freeze the assembled sando until it’s firm (about 15 minutes), then I use a sharp serrated knife to cut the edges off the sandwich and cut it in half. If you cut the sandwich immediately after assembly without chilling, the cream will be very soft, resulting in a messy final presentation. 

How To Make the Perfect Whipped Cream Filling

• I recommend using a stand or hand mixer to whip the cream. Using a whisk to whip it by hand is a serious arm workout.
• Make sure you use heavy or whipping cream with a fat content of 30 to 35 percent in this recipe. Make sure it’s well-chilled, too, or it won’t form stiff peaks.
• You can flavor the cream with various ingredients like matcha, instant coffee powder, or cocoa powder, if you like. 2 to 3 teaspoons is plenty to add a subtle hint of flavor in the whipped cream sandwich filling.

How To Make My Japanese Fruit Sandos

For two sandwiches, you’ll need:

• 10 large strawberries, washed, dried, and hulled
• 1/2 cup cold whipping cream 
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 slices shokupan or soft white sandwich bread

Set 6 whole strawberries aside and cut the remaining 4 in half lengthwise. Place the strawberries in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the sandwich. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large bowl and a hand mixer, combine the cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whip the mixture on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Check by stopping the mixer and lifting the beater(s) from the bowl to see if the cream holds a stiff peak that doesn’t droop. Don’t overwhip, or the cream will curdle.

Place 2 slices of the bread on a plate. Add 2 tablespoons of the whipped cream to each slice and spread it into an even layer. Add 3 whole strawberries in a diagonal line going between two corners of each slice of bread. Add 4 of the halved strawberries to each slice of bread in a single layer to cover the rest of the cream. (See image above for guidance with strawberry placement.) Use more whipped cream, as desired, to top the strawberries in an even layer.

Cover with the 2 remaining slices of bread and press down gently. Use a butter knife to smooth out the whipped cream on the edges of the sandwiches. Place the sandwiches in the freezer to firm up before cutting, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the chilled sandwiches from the freezer. Using a serrated knife, cut off the crusts on all sides. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally along the line of whole strawberries for the prettiest presentation, and serve.

Store the prepared sandwiches in the fridge wrapped in parchment paper, plastic wrap, or stored in a zip-top bag. They will keep for up to 1 day.