Sugar Pumpkin Soup with Brown Butter, Fresh Thyme, Apples, Peanut Butter, and Maple Whipped Cream 🍂🥄

• 1 sugar pumpkin
• 2 apples, preferable tart such as granny smith, split in half and cored
• oil
• 2 tbsp butter or oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, plus more as needed
• 2 sprigs of thyme, plus only leaves of one sprig of thyme (or 1/4 tsp dried thyme)
• 2 bay leaves
• spices to taste, here's what I used: 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp cloves
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp maple syrup, plus more to taste
• ¼ cup peanut butter, optional
• ¼ cup salted roasted peanuts, optional
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Split the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with a little olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt, and lay cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet (do not use parchment or it won't brown). Bake in the preheated oven for around 40–45 minutes. The pumpkin should be very tender when tested with a fork. After 35 minutes of baking, add 3 apple halves cut-side down to the sheet with the pumpkin and continue roasting. Remove from the oven when ready.

2. 2

   While the pumpkin bakes, let's make the base of the soup. Heat butter over medium heat in a large pot, swirling the pan constantly and stirring the butter with a wooden spoon. At first, your butter will shimmer (the sound of water evaporating), then it will start to brown and you will see brown solids forming; your butter will become perfectly still and smell nutty—you've just made brown butter. This whole process should take only about 1.5–2 minutes for this small amount of butter. Be sure to watch closely, stir constantly to avoid burning and scorching the pot.

3. 3

   As soon as your brown butter is ready, add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent, but not browned. Proceed to the next step immediately, or remove from heat and set aside until your pumpkin is ready.

4. 4

   Scoop the pumpkin out carefully, as it will be quite hot. Scoop out the apple. Add your pumpkin and apple to the pot with the onions, carrots, and celery. Add 2 thyme sprigs, bay leaves, spices (see the blend I used, but you can adjust to taste), and about 3 cups (720ml) of stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook for about 15 minutes for the flavours to meld and for the onions, carrots, and celery to become very tender.

5. 5

   While the soup is cooking, prepare the maple cream. Beat 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream, 2 tbsp (30ml) maple syrup, and a pinch of salt to very soft peaks. Set aside when ready.

6. 6

   When the soup is ready and all the vegetables are tender, remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, and transfer the contents of the pot to a blender (or use a handheld immersion blender). Stir in peanut butter, if using, and 1 tbsp (15ml) maple syrup. Process until very creamy and smooth. If needed, add more stock to thin the soup to your desired consistency. Taste your soup and season with more salt and pepper. Salt brings out the flavour in food, so be sure to salt your food well, without making your soup taste too salty. Add more maple syrup if desired. Each pumpkin has a different level of sweetness, so it's possible that sometimes you will need more maple syrup than other times.

7. 7

   Fold about 1/3 of your whipped maple cream into the soup. Divide the soup between bowls. Top with the remaining maple whipped cream and garnish with fresh thyme leaves, peanuts, and freshly ground black pepper. Slice the remaining half of the apple and garnish the soup with it. Enjoy.