How To Make An Insta-Worthy Japanese Fruit Sandwich At Home

If you've ever visited Japan — or have watched enviously as other people have — you've likely seen or tasted the country's signature fruit sandwiches. One of the most popular highlights at Japanese convenience stores (which are way better than the ones in the U.S.), fruit sandos consist of bread, whipped cream, and the fruit of your choosing, but are not quite as simple to make as they sound.

We learned about how to make these tasty treats from Namiko Hirasawa Chen, the founder of both JOC Goods and Just One Cookbook, who told us that, alongside the fruit and whipped cream that make up its interior, a unique property of fruit sandos is the soft, sweet bread used to make it. "Japanese whipped cream sandwiches are almost always made with shokupan, a fluffy, slightly sweet Japanese milk bread," Chen explained. "It's known for its pillowy texture and rich, milky flavor."

Chen's recipe for shokupan, while not as simple as the easiest method of making bread at home, isn't overly complex if you know what you're doing. By using warm water, sugar, salt, honey, instant yeast, bread flour, and dry milk powder, the delicious taste of shokupan — and, as a result, fruit sandos — is within reach. The sandwich is "something indulgent but not heavy," Chen told us.

While shokupan is integral to the deliciousness of Japan's must-try convenience store treat, two equally important ingredients come between the two layers of bread. "Two thick-cut slices of shokupan are used to hold a generous layer of fresh whipped cream and fruit," Namiko Hirasawa Chen explained. "The key is to arrange the fruit so that when the sandwich is sliced diagonally, the cross-section reveals a beautiful and sometimes colorful pattern."

Chen noted that any standard recipe of smooth and spreadable freshly whipped cream works, though she likes to add "a splash of rum" to the mix to enhance its flavor. As for the fruit, there's a wide array to choose from to suit your tastes. "The most popular include strawberries, kiwi, mango, peach, grapes, banana, and oranges," Chen explained. "The best fruits are those that are firm enough to slice cleanly, not too juicy, and hold their shape."

As for serving the snack, timing is important. Fruit sandos are best enjoyed as a dessert or an afternoon snack alongside some matcha tea (if you can still find it for an affordable price in America) – and they don't last for very long after they're made. "Once assembled, they should be wrapped, gently pressed, and chilled for at least one hour before slicing," Chen told us. "After cutting, they should be eaten within the same day." So don't be tempted to stash one in the fridge for the following day: "They don't hold up well overnight," Chen advised.