A viral street food you can make at home: Deep Fried Japanese Cream Sando! Thick slices of Shokupan (milk bread) are fried until crunchy and golden. Stuff with lightly sweetened whipped cream and top with fresh strawberries. Crunchy on the outside, sweet and soft on the inside! The perfect dessert or snack!

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What is a Deep Fried Japanese Cream Sando?

Deep Fried Japanese Cream Sando is a viral street food made popular by Age 3 Ginza. Thick fluffy white Japanese milk bread (Shokupan) is deep fried and filled generously with whipped cream and fresh fruit. The deliciously crunchy and crisp exterior makes a nice contrast to the soft, luscious cream filling.

Surprisingly, it’s easy to make Fried Cream Sandwiches at home. The most difficult part will be finding good Japanese milk bread. Make sure it’s at least 1-inch (2.5cm) thick! It will fry up crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Typically, Japanese fruit sandwiches are not fried. Instead, soft whipped cream and fresh fruit are nestled between two slices of fluffy milk bread. These iconic Japanese sandwiches (also called Japanese Sando) are commonly found at convenience stores.

Deep frying the bread creates a crispy golden coating that is irresistible. It tastes like a cross between a funnel cake, strawberry shortcake, and fried donuts. Elevates the humble fruit sando to a spectacular dessert or snack.

You only need a few simple ingredients and a little patience to make these at home. The soft sweet cream combined with fresh fruit and crispy bread create a delightful mix of textures. Enjoy these deep fried modern iterations of Japanese sandos!

Ingredients

• Milk Bread. Japanese-style Milk Bread, also called Shokupan, can be found at Asian bakeries and Japanese grocery stores. Make sure it is at least 1-inch thick. Unlike traditional Western bread, Japanese Milk Bread is sweet, fluffy, and very soft. If you don’t have it, swap with thick cut slices of Brioche, Challah, or Texas-style toast.
• Heavy cream. To whip into stiff peaks. Make sure it’s at least 35% fat. Also called double cream or heavy whipping cream.
• Sugar. A little bit of sweetness.
• Vanilla Extract. Adds extra flavor and dimension.
• Strawberries. Fresh strawberry cuts through the richness of the fried bread and whipped cream. Swap with blueberries, raspberries, or mangoes if you prefer.
• Oil. You’ll need oil to deep fry the milk bread. Enough to fill an inch in a medium saucepan. Recommendations: avocado oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil, or any neutral cooking oil.

How to make viral Japanese Fried Cream Sandwich

1. Deep fry the milk bread. Attach a candy thermometer to a heavy bottom medium pan or enameled cast iron dutch oven. Add 1 inch of neutral cooking oil (avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil, etc.). Heat over medium heat until the thermometer reads 350F/176C. Add a slice of milk bread and deep fry until golden brown, about 30-60 seconds per side. Make sure to flip the bread and watch carefully so it’s evenly cooked. Remove and set aside on a wire rack fitted over a sheet pan.
2. Prep strawberries. Wash the strawberries and trim the tops. Cut each strawberry into half. Blot dry the strawberries with a paper towel. Set aside.
3. Make the whipping cream. In a small bowl, add the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla. Using a hand-held mixer, whip on the highest setting until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
4. Create a pocket. Using a sharp knife, cut each slice of toast diagonally. Then cut a slit into each half, as far as you can get to the edges without cutting through the crust. Gently open the sides of the toast to form a pocket. Be gentle!
5. Assemble. Add a luxurious amount of whipped cream into the pocket with a spoon, filling all the way to the brim. Smooth the whipped cream on top. Add the halved strawberries into the whipped cream.
6. Serve. Eat immediately. Enjoy!

PRO Tips

• Adjust sweetness level. My recommendation is to make the cream filling “not too sweet.” However, taste and adjust the sweetness level to your liking.
• Add enough oil so the bread floats. One of the secrets for deep frying at home. It may seem excessive, but there should at least be 1-inch of oil so the bread floats.
• Watch bread carefully. The cook time on the bread goes fast –30-60 seconds per side. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn!
• Reuse the oil. When the oil cools, store in a glass jar and reuse in the future. Be sure to use a mesh sieve to remove any debris.
• Use a sharp knife. For best results, sharpen your knife! A sharp knife will make it easier to cut a slit into the bread and create a pocket.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

• Heavy-bottomed pan. To deep fry, use a medium saucepan that can easily fit a piece of milk bread. A heavy bottom medium pan or enameled cast iron dutch oven with tall sides is ideal.
• Candy thermometer. Make sure your oil is hot enough! A candy thermometer is a good way to check the oil temperature. The right temperature will ensure crispy results instead of greasy bread that absorbs oil.
• Wire rack + sheet pan. Set the fried milk bread on a wire rack fitted over a sheet pan to cool. That way, the bread can cool without getting soggy. Allows steam to escape and air to circulate.
• Electric Hand mixer. Makes whipping heavy cream to stiff peaks fast and easy.

Variations

• Matcha + Raspberries. Add 1-2 tsp matcha powder to the heavy cream. Top with raspberries and dust with matcha powder.
• Creme Brulee. Whip egg yolks and sugar to a thick paste. Add a thin layer to the top of the filled toast. Use a hand-held torch to brulee the topping.
• Chocolate + Nuts. Add 1 Tbsp cocoa powder to the heavy cream. Dust with cocoa powder and top with cocoa nibs and chopped toasted pecans. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.
• Tiramisu. Add 1-2 tsp of espresso powder to the heavy cream. Dust with cocoa powder.
• Coconut. Add coconut extract instead of vanilla extract to the heavy cream. Top the filled toast with toasted coconut flakes.

FAQ

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