Butternut Squash Souffle

Photo: From Lab To Kitchen

Ingredients

1/2 butternut squash, peeled and roasted (for instructions go here)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup whole milk

2 egg yolks

3 egg whites

1/4 cup sugar, plus extra for dusting the ramekins

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Splash of vanilla extract

Butter to grease the ramekins

Preparation

Puree butternut squash with blender and set aside to let cool.

In a small saucepan, heat cream, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla to a simmer.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk yolks and sugar until pale yellow.

Add a cup of the hot cream mixture very slowly into yolks while continuing to whisk.

Then add yolks and cream back to saucepan and keep stirring over low heat.

Mixture should thicken in a few minutes, then turn off heat and incorporate into squash puree.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, making sure the rack is near the bottom.

Place a baking sheet in the oven.

Butter your ramekins and dust the insides and rims with sugar.

Then take egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk until glossy. It should form stiff peaks when you remove your whisk from the bowl, and should be able to hold the weight of an egg.

Use a spatula to combine the egg whites scoop by scoop into the squash mixture, making sure they form a fully homogeneous mixture, but do not overmix.

Carefully scoop your mixture into the ramekins up to the rims.

Bake on lower rack for about 25 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.

They should rise, but with firm tops and jiggly centers.