Winter Squash Soufflé

Serves 8

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
9 fluid ounces warm milk
4 eggs, separated
1 small Kabocha, hubbard or buttercup squash or cheese pumpkin
1 pinch salt
2 pinches nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
turbinado sugar as needed for dusting soufflé cups
butter as needed for greasing soufflé cups
2 cups low fat yogurt, strained for 3 hours

Method
To Prepare the Squash:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on cookie sheet with 2 cups water. Bake until very soft when pierced with a knife, approximately 1 hour. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and scoop out flesh into a bowl. Mash with a whisk or potato masher until smooth. Measure out 3/4 cup and set aside.

To Make the Soufflé:
Preheat oven to 400° F.

Butter and sugar 8 4-ounce ramekins and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the milk, and cook until a thick paste forms. Transfer the milk mixture to a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the yolks, 1/2 cup of the sugar, 3/4 cup of squash puree, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.

Make an egg white foam using the mixer, or by hand, adding 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar at the soft peak stage. Gently fold 1/3 of whites into the squash mixture. Fold in the remaining whites. Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins, place the ramekins on a half-sheet tray and bake for 15 minutes or until browned on top.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Garnished with yogurt.