Strawberry and Cream Sandwich from Scratch

The Strawberry and Cream Sandwich from Scratch wasn’t something I ever thought I’d be making, let alone enjoying so much. If you’ve been on social media or walked past an M&S Foodhall recently, chances are you’ve heard about the M&S sandwich that’s taken the UK by storm. At first, I’ll be honest, I didn’t really get the hype. The idea just didn’t sit right with me. I thought, “Nah, not for me”. But because I absolutely love fresh strawberries and whipped double cream (very much like what you’d find in a classic Victoria Sponge Cake), I couldn’t help but wonder: what If I made one myself, the way I’d imagine it should taste?

I’ve never actually tried the M&S sandwich version that’s got everyone talking, but I decided to create my own homemade Strawberry and Cream Sandwich from Scratch, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s soft, sweet, fresh and honestly just the perfect little treat for the warmer days.

Japanese inspiration – milk bread and matcha

I’ve heard that this sandwich was inspired by the Japanese fruit sand, so I did a bit of digging. Turns out, it all started making sense. In Japan, they use a special kind of bread called shokupan, or milk bread. It’s ultra fluffy, slightly sweet and makes the perfect base for something like strawberries and cream.

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Immediately I thought, my little girl Summer would absolutely love this soft milk bread. But because I always like to play with flavour and colour, I knew I had to do more. So instead of making just the plain version, I decided to also make a match milk bread to go alongside it.

Everything came together in my head very quickly. It had to be Japanese-style milk bread and it had to be made the proper way – with a simple technique called tangzhong.

The secret to fluffy milk bread – tangzhong method

Tangzhong is a clever Japanese method where you cook a small portion of flour with water and milk to around 65°C (149°F) until it thickens into a smooth paste. This gets added to the dough, resulting in a much softer, fluffier bread that stays fresh for longer.

For the plain milk bread, I used a mix of bread flour, water and whole milk, gently heated and stirred in a saucepan until it thickened. You can use plain flour, but I prefer the structure and bite you get from strong bread flour. Once thickened, I transferred it to my KitchenAid bowl and added the rest of the ingredients.

Then in goes more bread flour, a little caster sugar, salt, instant yeast, a whole egg and more milk. I let the mixer knead it on low until it came together into a soft dough. This process takes around 10 minutes. Then I added soft butter a bit at a time while it continued kneading until the dough was shiny and elastic.

For the matcha version, I simply added matcha powder to the tangzhong. Everything else stayed exactly the same, it’s such a forgiving recipe.

Proving, rolling and baking

First proving

Once the doughs were ready, I greased two large bowls, popped the doughs in, covered with cling film and left them to rise. It was a warm day so proving happened quickly even at the room temperature, about two hours and they’d tripled in size.

Rolling

After the first rise, I turned the dough out onto a floured surface, divided each into three parts and shaped them. Each portion got rolled into a strip about 10cm wide, then rolled up into a swirl. I repeated the process, this time rolling to about 7cm wide before rolling again. All three rolls went into a pullman loaf tin (with a lid).

Second proving

I then put the lids on and let the doughs rise again for the second time. It took around an hour.

Baking

I baked them in a preheated oven at 170°C (with fan), for around 30-35 minutes, until golden and baked through. The results? The softest, fluffiest bread, perfect for slicing and sandwiching with cream and strawberries.

Time to assemble

Once your milk bread (or match bread) is completely cool, slice it to your desired thickness. It’s important the bread is cook otherwise the cream will melt and that’s just not what we want.

For the filling, I whipped double cream with a touch of icing sugar and a splash of vanilla extract. Be careful not to overwhip, once it reaches stiff peaks, stop immediately. Overwhipping will split the Crean and you won’t be able to save it.

I used whole strawberries for that classic Japanese-style presentation with the pretty cross section but you can also halve them. Spread cream generously on both slices of bread, arrange strawberries on one slice and gently sandwich it with the other.

That’s it. You’ve just made your very own Strawberry and Cream Sandwich from Scratch, possibly better than the M&S sandwich everyone’s talking about.

Final thoughts – worth the effort?

Absolutely. This Strawberry and Cream Sandwich from Scratch is everything you want in a summer treat. The soft, pillowy bread, the sweet cream and the juicy strawberries come together beautifully. Whether you’re creating the M&S sandwich because it’s sold out everywhere or just want a homemade twist, this version is well worth trying.

And if you’re anything like me, once you’ve tried the match milk bread, you’ll probably want to use it for everything.

Print Recipe

Delicious

Strawberry and Cream Sandwich from Scratch

Author: Thao @ summerandspice Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: Non-Vietnamese Courses: Pudding, Snack Recipe Keys: Cake Dessert

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 35 mins Rest Time 180 mins Total Time 4 hrs 5 mins

Cooking Temp: 170  C Servings: 4 Estimated Cost: £ 10

Description

This Strawberry and Cream Sandwich from scratch is made with soft, fluffy Japanese-style milk bread, fresh ripe strawberries, and lightly sweetened whipped cream. A refreshing and elegant dessert sandwich, perfect for summer afternoons or a light, fruity treat. Inspired by the Japanese fruit sando and the trending M&S sandwich, this homemade version is just as beautiful as it is delicious

Ingredients

Cook Mode Cooking Mode Disabled

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

For the Tangzhong (milk bread starter)

• 15 ml bread flour or plain flour
• 20 ml water
• 20 g whole milk
• 5 g matcha (optional, for matcha variation)

For the Milk Bread Dough

• All of the tangzhong above
• 260 g bread flour or plain flour
• 7 g active dry yeast (1 pack)
• 30 g caster sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 1 large egg
• 115 ml whole milk (room temperature)
• 20 g unsalted butter (softened)

For the Filling

• 300 ml double cream
• 50 g icing sugar (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 200 g fresh strawberries (halved or whole)

Instructions

1. Make the Tangzhong

   • In a small saucepan, whisk together the tangzhong ingredients. 
   • Cook over low medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and reaches around 65°C.
   • It should look like a smooth paste. 
   • Remove from heat and transfer it to your stand mixer bowl. 
   • If making the matcha version, whisk matcha powder into the tangzhong. 
   Mark as complete

1. Prepare the Dough

   • Add the bread flour, sugar, salt, yeast, egg and whole milk into the bowl. 
   • Using the dough hook, knead on low speed until the dough comes together, this usually takes around 10 minutes. 
   • Add softened butter gradually while kneading and continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth and stretchy, pulling away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. 
   Mark as complete

1. First Rise

   • Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside. 
   • Cover with cling film and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled or tripped in size, this usually takes 1.5-2 hours. 
   Mark as complete

1. Shape the Dough

   • Once risen, gently punch the dough down and transfer it to a floured surface. 
   • Divide into 3 equal parts. 
   • Roll each into a strip about 10cm wide, then roll each up into a log. 
   • Roll each log out again to about 7cm wide and roll up once more.
   • This double-rolling gives your bread a beautiful soft texture and structure. 
   • Place the three rolls side-by-side in a pullman loaf tin (500g size). 
   • Cover and leave for a second rise until the dough is just below the lid, about an hour. 
   Mark as complete

1. Bake

   • Preheat your oven to 170°C (with fan). 
   • Bake the loaf for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. 
   • Remove from tin and let it cool completely on a wire rack. 
   Mark as complete

1. Make the Filling

   • In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the double cream with icing sugar and vanilla extract using the whisk attachment. 
   • Beat just until stiff peaks form, be careful not to overwhip. 
   Mark as complete

1. Assemble the Sandwich

   • Slice the cooled milk bread to your desired thickness. 
   • Spread whipped cream on both slices. 
   • Arrange strawberries on one side then gently press the sandwich together. 
   • For presentation, slice through the middle to reveal the beautiful strawberries inside. 
   Mark as complete

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 681.92kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 34.59g54%

Saturated Fat 21.07g106%

Trans Fat 0.94g

Cholesterol 146.11mg49%

Sodium 94.73mg4%

Potassium 378.32mg11%

Total Carbohydrate 80.41g27%

Dietary Fiber 3.38g14%

Sugars 26.54g

Protein 13.04g27%

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Vitamin A 381.24 mcg

Vitamin C 29.85 mg

Calcium 117.76 mg

Iron 1.37 mg

Vitamin D 1.9 mcg

Vitamin E 1.15 mg

Vitamin K 4.21 mcg

Thiamin 0.32 mg

Riboflavin 0.38 mg

Niacin 1.96 mg

Vitamin B6 0.14 mg

Folate 82.43 mcg

Vitamin B12 0.39 mcg

Phosphorus 197.42 mg

Magnesium 36.11 mg

Zinc 1.17 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: Strawberry and Cream Sandwich from scratch, M&S sandwich, Japanese milk bread, matcha bread, fruit sando

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