Fruit Sandwich - A Savory Snack That's Easy To Make

Everyone is fond of sandwiches, whether for breakfast or as snacks. But have you ever heard of fruit sandwiches? Some may find it weird and unique while others simply know that anything is possible in Japan.

Fruit sando, as its popularly known here, is a sweet and savory Japanese snack. Let us get to know more about what it consists in and how to make it.

Really?! A Fruit Sandwich!

A fruit sandwich is literally a sandwich made with an assortment of fruit. Thinly sliced Japanese soft white bread goes very well with the filling of fresh fruit and whipped cream.

These unique sandwiches are really fun to make and have at summer picnics or as travel snacks on the go. They taste a bit like those super light Japanese cakes that aren't overly sweet. Never heard of a fruit sandwich before? In Japan, these sandwiches are so common that they are sold just about everywhere.

A Very Popular Japanese Snack

In Western cuisine, most sandwiches are savory rather than sweet, but in Japan, fruit sandwiches are a popular sweet treat. They’re made with whipped cream and fresh fruit between two slices of sandwich bread without the crust.

Popular fruit options include strawberry, kiwi, banana, and mango. Apart from the fresh and good quality fruit available in Japan, the bread used for these sandwiches is very moist and soft. This special type of Japanese bread is called "shokupan" or milk bread. The soft and fluffy texture of the bread enhances the flavor of the fruit sandwich.

Strawberries are the most popular fruit sando filling. In fact, this type of sandwiches is sometimes referred to as "Ichigo Sando" (Strawberry Sandwich) instead of being called fruit sandwiches.

Fruit sandwiches can be found at any convenience store, supermarkets, department store food sections and restaurants. Most of the convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, Lawson, and Family Mart sell these sandwiches at a very affordable price. These sandwiches range from 220 yen to 500 yen. A great pick for a picnic or a longer trip, they make for a tasty quick snack.

What Makes Fruit Sandwiches so Special

What makes this Japanese snack so special is the combination of fresh fruit and soft milky bread. When making them yourself, the important part is to choose your bread and fruit carefully.

For the bread, shokupan bread (Japanese white square bread) works the best. As for the fruit, you can use any variety, but the ones that are softer are more suitable than the crunchy ones. Also, fruit that contains a lot of water, such as citrus, may not work well because the excess of liquid might make the bread too soggy.

Strawberries, peaches, kiwis, bananas, or melons are all a good choice. The appearance of the dish is important too. One has to place the fruit on the bread thinking how the fruit will appear when the sandwich is cut. If you have never had a Japanese fruit sandwich, do try it.

Fruit Sandwich Recipe

This sandwich is the easiest one you will ever make. Let's make one together.

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream

3 Tbsp sugar

4 thin slices shokupan bread

Fruit: strawberries, peach, kiwi

How To Make

1. Put heavy cream and sugar in a bowl and whip until it forms hard peaks.

2. Slice the shokupan bread thinly and remove the crust of the bread.

3. Slice all the fruits of your choice into bite size pieces.

4. Spread some whipped cream on one side of the bread. Place the bite size fruit pieces in a horizontal row on the whipped cream. Spread some more cream over fruits. Place another slice of bread on top of the cream layer.

5. Wrap the sandwiches in plastic sheets and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

6. Remove the plastic sheet and cut the sandwich into 4 pieces diagonally to make triangle shapes.

Enjoy Your Fruit Sandwich!

The great thing about fruit sandwiches is that you can make them as simple or as fancy as you want. You can even make them using a single type of fruit such as strawberry. Although most Japanese usually eat these treats in the afternoon as a snack to go along with tea or coffee, they are delicious for breakfast as well. Bon appetite!