Katie's Carrot Souffle

A very good friend of mine from college had her first baby this week, a healthy little boy.  He's precious, and he does not yet have any idea what a wonderful family he's been born into.  He also has no clue what's in store for his taste buds.  You see, his mom's a great cook, and she simply can't resist baking and cooking delicious food for people to enjoy.  She loves to see their faces light up as they eat a homemade gourmet dinner or a bakery-perfect baked good.  She's always whipping up something creative in the kitchen, which was an advantage for myself and our other roommates in college!  

In honor of my friend and her new addition, I'm sharing one of my favorite recipes of hers, a carrot souffle.  It's similar to a sweet potato souffle, but, rather than heavy or syrupy, this souffle is light and fluffy.  It's also full of vitamin A, good for your eyes!

Katie's carrot souffle: yum!

I've reduced the butter and sugar from the original recipe to make a slightly lighter souffle. If you have unrefined demura cane sugar or turbinado sugar on hand, use a tablespoon of it as part of your sugar measurement.  This is a delicious side dish to serve for dinner any day, and it's also a great addition to a Thanksgiving or Christmas buffet.  

I've only made this recipe in a round, 1.5 quart dish, but I'm sure it would also work well baked in four or five individual 8 oz ramekins, reducing the cooking time to about 20-25 minutes.  

Katie's Carrot Souffle

5-6 servings

1 lb carrots, washed and peeled
pinch of salt

1/3 cup butter, melted

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or 2 1/2 tablespoons gluten-free flour plus 1 teaspoon Xanthum gum if cooking gluten-free)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

Chop the carrots into 1/2-inch coins.  Place them in a pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until tender and a knife cuts through them easily.  Drain the carrots, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid, then return them to the pot with the reserved liquid.  


Mash the carrots thoroughly with a potato masher until smooth (or blend with a food processor or blender), then add the melted butter, stirring well to combine.  Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition.  Whisk  in the remaining ingredients, stirring until just combined.  


Pour into a lightly greased 1.5 quart baking dish.  Bake at 350F/ 175C for 40-45 minutes, until about doubled in size and the middle looks set.  Serve immediately, or chill overnight and re-warm in a hot oven (covered with foil) or microwave before serving.