Post by Alison Hein.

I was in the mood for something different on a recent morning, when I remembered a bunch of lovely organic, spring carrots I had picked up at the market. But carrots for breakfast? How does that work? Eureka! A carrot soufflé!

I decided on the sweet, rather than savory, route for these little treats. A touch of sugar and a sprinkling of aromatic spices creates a pie-like mood, and the lighter than air consistency melts on your tongue. So lovely to look at as well – fresh from the oven, puffed up and golden.

Make no mistake – your soufflés will fall. The trick (and hope) is to get them to the table (or the breakfast tray) before they do so. Carrot purée makes these a little denser than other types of soufflés, so you’ll have to be extra quick.

If you like, remove the sugar and spices and add some fresh thyme instead for a delightful dinner side. Or, do what we did and enjoy a breakfast in bed that’s just the right amount of different.

Ingredients

3 medium carrots
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
½ cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs, separated

Equipment

6 4-inch ramekins

Preparation

Peel and chop carrots. Place in small, heavy pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until carrots are completely soft and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Use a food processor hand masher to purée carrots. Set aside and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly spray each ramekin with cooking spray.

Melt butter in small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth, thick paste forms. Whisk in milk and cook until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Beat in egg yolks one at a time. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add carrot purée and stir to mix thoroughly.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into egg batter. Fill each of the ramekins with batter – they should be about ¾ full. Tap the bottoms of the ramekins lightly on the work surface so batter fills the bottom, then smooth the top with a butter knife or offset spatula.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until soufflés are puffed up and lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.