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Winter Squash Soufflé

By Amy Topel

Serves 8

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
9 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 plus 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

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter and sugar eight 4-ounce ramekins and set aside. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the flour and cook for 2 to 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. Garnish with yogurt.

Nutrition Highlights

A small study conducted by the USDA in 2003 showed that ingestion of less than half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day could potentially lower blood sugar levels as well as triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL levels.

Tips

All cassia cinnamon is spicier than true cinnamon, and the sticks have a much harder texture. Since cassia cinnamon cannot be ground to a fine powder in the home setting, it's best to purchase it pre-ground. Here, use a stick of pure cinnamon.