Serving soup in teacups is a pretty way to showcase your homiest, fall-themed china pieces. This presentation works really well for tea parties or luncheons but also as the first course for an elegant dinner.
Chai-Butternut Squash Soup tastes somewhere in between sweet and savory. Chunks of apples, onions and butternut squash are slow-roasted in the oven along with some classic fall herbs like sage and thyme for a taste of the holidays.
The addition of chai tea gives a light layer of spice to the soup–perfect for complementing all the autumnal ingredients. A chai with star anise, ginger and cardamom work really nice here.
Puff Pastry Teaspoons are like breadsticks that can be dunked into the soup. To make them, just outline the silhouette of a teaspoon or soup spoon onto well-chilled puff pastry. You can also use a spoon cookie cutter for this process, but in a pinch just use spoons that you already have.
You’ll want to make plenty of Puff Pastry Teaspoons as guests can’t seem to eat just one! Garnish them with fresh chopped herbs or even a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream for mixing into the delicious soup. Happy Thanksgiving!
Chai-Butternut Squash Soup with Puff Pastry Teaspoons
Serves 6.
Ingredients:
{Soup}
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cut into 1″ chunks
2 large red delicious apple, peeled, cored & cut into 1″ chunks
1/2 large brown onion, cut into 1″ chunks
1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 heaping Tablespoon loose-leaf Chai or 3 Chai tea bags
{Puff Pastry Teaspoons}
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tsp heavy cream)
Equipment:
blender
tea strainer
blender
large baking sheets
parchment paper
teaspoons or soup spoons
paring knife
pastry brush
Directions:
1. Make the Soup. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Placed the squash, apples, onion, sage & thyme on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, toss together and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are soft and lightly browned.
2. In a small pot, bring the broth up to a boil. After it reaches boiling, turn off the heat and add the tea. Steep for 7 minutes.
3. Place all the roasted ingredients in a blender. Place a tea strainer over the blender, then pour the tea-infused broth into the blender. Blend everything on high until it reaches a soup consistency. If too thick, feel free to add a little water to thin the soup. Set aside.
4. Make the Puff Pastry Teaspoons. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a piece of parchment, roll out the puff pastry to half its original thickness. Transfer the sheet of pastry (along with the parchment) to a large baking sheet, then let sit in freezer for 20 minutes to firm up.
5. Remove the puff pastry from the freezer. Place spoons on the pastry and trace out their silhouettes using a paring knife. After tracing out all the spoons, return the sheet pan with the puff pastry to the freezer. Let sit in freezer for about 15 minutes.
6. Remove the puff pastry from the freezer. Carefully pull off the areas of pastry around the spoons and use for another purpose. Create a some space around each spoon (at least an inch), then brush the tops of the spoons with an egg wash.
7. Bake the spoons in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until very lightly golden brown. Immediately after removing from the oven, place actual spoons on each pastry spoon to create an indent. Remove the actual spoons after the pastry has cooled. Serve with the prepared soup & enjoy!
