Furutsu Sando
Furutsu sando is a subtle dessert that celebrates seasonal fruits, tastes delicious, and looks beautiful–sounds like Japanese patisserie.
Something like a strawberry shortcake, furutsu sando is a sandwich made with whipped cream, whatever fruits are ripe at the time, and, traditionally, Japanese milk bread. It is light, delicate, and delicious. And when properly prepared, it can be quite stunning on the plate.
While technically furutsu sando should be made with japanese milk bread, I have found that any firm white bread will do just fine. I typically look for something in the “farmhouse” style, as that usually means it is a little bit heartier.
Given the simplicity of ingredients, most of the challenge to this dish comes in assembly and presentation. A perfect furutsu sando will, when sliced, have a beautiful cross-section of fruits placed evenly and suspended perfectly in whipped cream. To accomplish this requires a bit of care, but the biggest things to keep in mind are to:
-Be sure that your fruit is oriented to be perfectly split down the middle when you slice the sandwich.
-Wrap your sandwiches tightly and weigh them down in the refrigerator to achieve good compression.
-Cool the sandwiches in the refrigerator or freezer for several hours to make them firmer before slicing.
If you follow those tips, this dessert is simple, elegant, and delicious. And you can pick up the ingredients just about anywhere you’d want to travel.
Furutsu Sando 3 Ways
Serves 3-6
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp powdered sugar
¼ tsp vanilla extract
6 slices firm white bread
1 kiwi
1 orange
6 strawberries
Directions:
Add the cream, sugar, and vanilla to a mixing bowl and whisk until the whipped cream is nice and thick, and holds a peak.
Prepare your fruit by peeling skins and trimming tops, and slicing into neat pieces to put in the sandwich and create a beautiful cross-section when the sandwich is sliced.
Place a piece of bread on a piece of cling wrap and cover the bread with a healthy scoop of whipped cream. Position your fruits carefully to ensure good coverage and a beautiful finished product. Cover the fruits with more whipped cream and then a second slice of bread. Wrap the sandwich tightly, and place it in the refrigerator.
When all the sandwiches are in the refrigerator or freezer, lay a baking tray over them and add a small amount of weight to compress them. Keep them in the fridge for several hours to allow them to set and stiffen, which will make them easier to slice.
After the sandwiches have cooled for several hours, remove them from the fridge. Carefully unwrap and slice them, first removing the crust and then slicing diagonally to create the beautiful fruit cross-sections. Be sure to wipe the blade of your knife between each cut to clean it of any whipped cream, which would mar the look of the finished product.
And that’s it! Enjoy!
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