These colourful sandwiches, known as shokupan in Japan, make a sweet breakfast or satisfying snack. 

Recipe: Ruth Pretty  Styling & photos: Carolyn Robertson

Makes 20 cocktail sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

10 slices white sandwich bread
5 large strawberries, hulled and sliced into 4 lengthwise
2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced into rounds, the same thickness as the strawberries
Sandwich Cream (recipe follows)

METHOD

Lay out 5 bread slices onto a breadboard. Spread each with a generous tablespoon of Sandwich Cream. Put one slice of kiwifruit in the centre of each slice, then place strawberry slices in the corners. Cut remaining kiwifruit rounds into quarters and use to fill in the gaps.

Gently spread 2 tablespoons of Sandwich Cream over the fruit and top with the remaining bread. Wrap each whole sandwich and place them in a tightly covered container. Chill for one hour or overnight. To serve, remove wrapping and trim off crusts (use a pastry or electric knife), then cut each sandwich into four triangles.

Sandwich Cream

Put 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon gelatine powder. Leave to sponge for 5 to 10 minutes. Heat 50ml cream until hot but not boiling. Add the gelatine mixture and  stir until dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Whip 200ml cream to just before soft-peak stage. Gently fold in gelatine mixture, 1 tablespoon icing sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. C

over and refrigerate for up to a day.

COOK’S TIP

Fresh pineapple, cut to size, can be substituted for strawberries.

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