Another Food Kart’s Sorrel Cream Cheese Braided Danish

BAVINA SOOKDEO

Ravi Benny’s journey into the world of food started with the nurturing hands of his mother and grandmother, instilling in him a deep appreciation for culinary arts from a young age.

“My mother and grandmother helped foster a love for food from a tender age and later, through necessity, my sister and I learned to cook together, while my mother worked long hours,” said Benny.

“This grew into me constantly increasing my knowledge of food and experimenting more and more in the kitchen. Eventually, I worked a bit in the industry and after an injury, opened up AFK (Another Food Kart), where my sister and I get to share that zeal with my customers through our food.”

Asked about his love for cooking, Benny emphasised the power of food to connect people with memories and each other.

"Food has a way of connecting us with memories and people like few other mediums. If I can help do that for people, I would consider my career successful," highlighting the deeper meaning behind his culinary creations.

For Benny, cooking is synonymous with care, love, and memory.

"I think there’s a love that comes with cooking for others," underscoring the personal touch that defines his approach to preparing meals.

Situated in La Romaine, AFK stands as a testament to Benny's commitment to offering hand crafted culinary experiences. From sandwiches to fried chicken and an array of delectable desserts, everything at AFK is made entirely from scratch.

Benny's culinary philosophy revolves around presenting familiar flavours in innovative ways, offering a unique dining experience for his customers.

“I love taking flavours that we are accustomed to and presenting them in a way that isn’t often seen.”

Living by the motto of unwavering sincerity and aiming to bring joy to those around him, Benny has seamlessly integrated these principles into the core of AFK's identity.

The business slogan, Everything Scratch-Made, echoes the commitment to quality, with every element – from buns to ketchup to desserts – crafted in-house by Benny and his team.

Here's his recipe for sorrel cream cheese braided danish:

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry, Danish dough or pie dough (homemade or store bought)

For the sorrel jam

1 cup sorrel petals (keep this after boiling your sorrel)

1 cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick

2 cloves

2 star anise

1 small knob ginger, cut into small pieces

For the sweet cream cheese

1 block cream cheese, softened

¼ cup white sugar

2 eggs

White sugar, for topping

Directions

Place sorrel, 1 cup sugar and ginger in a pot on low heat.

Place cinnamon, cloves and star anise in a small piece of parchment so they don’t get lost in the jam.

Simmer for 20 minutes, or until sorrel petals are soft enough to blend.

Remove spice packet and blend until desired consistency, then set aside.

Beat softened cream cheese, 1 egg and ¼ cup sugar together until mixed well, then set aside.

Mix the remaining egg with a splash of milk together to make an egg wash and set aside.

On a floured work surface, roll dough out into a 12x8-inch rectangle. You can roll out the dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, because you will transfer it to a baking sheet next.

Spread the cream cheese filling in a three-inch-wide strip down the centre of the dough then top with the sorrel jam.

Swirl them lightly together, but not too much.

Using a sharp knife, cut ½ inch strips along both sides, all the way down the dough.

Fold strips over the filling, alternating each side to resemble a twist or a braid.

Fold the bottom end up to seal the filling inside.

Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar (Brown sugar also works here)

Refrigerate for 30 minutes, and preheat oven to 400° F.

Bake for 18-23 minutes, or until golden brown on top.