Two slices of bread, whipped cream, a little sugar and some fruit: that’s all you need to make fruit sandos, those colorful Japanese dessert-like sandwiches. Without forgetting a little dexterity to place the fruits in just the right place, in order to achieve the visual effect that makes them cute to bite into.
In any case, to try it is to adopt it, according to Christina Potvin and Quy Tâm Vo, couple behind the popular blog Hop dans le wok!, which reproduces all kinds of Asian recipes. “ It’s really good ”, says Christina straight away. “It’s very refreshing too,” adds Quy Tâm.
“ Sando ” is simply the Japanese word for sandwich, we are told. That’s why we see them with eggs (tamago sando), or breaded pork (katsu sando), to name a few. The one that interests us, however, is distinguished by its sweet side. “People find it a little weird, because normally it’s more salad and cold meats that we put in a sandwich. But it works really well with fruit,” assures Christina.
While strawberries are often the star of these desserts—because they taste like a shortcake—don’t be shy about experimenting with other rainbow-colored fruits. We often see, for example, mango and kiwi. “ I find that it works very well with fruits that are crunchy, but a little soft at the same time ”, sums up Christina. The main thing is to blot them well so that there is no liquid flowing into the whipped cream.
The whipping cream, precisely, will be whipped into peaks with a little sugar. As for the bread, we are suggested to use a Japanese milk bread (shokupan), a little sweetened by its brioche side, which can be found in Asian grocery stores. But don’t worry about this aspect, because any white bread – square, preferably – will do, the duo say.
If these sandos are so attractive, it is largely because of their particular look. “We eat with our eyes too,” says Quy Tâm, who suggests arranging the fruit diagonally in the middle of the sandwich so that the cut shows them at their best. Since they have to be left to rest in the fridge for about an hour before cutting them and eating them, he suggests drawing a pencil line on the plastic packaging to remember the meaning of the fruit.
Finally, these sandos will be even better the next day, says the couple, parents of two young children. “ The same day, it’s super good, but the next day, it’s better”, says Christina. “ The ingredients have had time to mingle and the fruit gives the flavor to the whipped cream ”, adds Quy Tâm.
Last detail, and not the least: do not forget to remove the crusts. “ It’s not just for the look, it’s also for the taste”, concludes Christina.
(Recipe from Hop in the wok!)
Prep time: 15 minutes Rest time: 1 hour Servings: 2 sandwiches