Apple And Chestnut Soup with Spiced Cream

Ingredients:

SPICED CREAM:

1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon Ground Allspice
1/8 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/4 teaspoon Sugar
1/8 teaspoon Salt

SOUP:

4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 medium Onion, Diced
1 Stalk Celery, Diced
1 Granny Smith Apple, Peeled, Cored, and Chopped
1 (14.8) oz Jar Prepared French Chestnuts
4 cups Chicken Stock, Unsalted
2 tablespoons Marsala Wine
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Directions:

1. Cream: In a small bowl, combine the cream, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, sugar, and salt and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Soup: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apples, onion, and celery and cook until tender and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts and stock, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chestnuts are very soft, about 20 minutes.
3. Process the soup with a stick blender until very smooth. Alternatively, with a slotted spoon, remove the apples, onions, celery, and chestnuts (reserving the cooking liquor) from the saucepan. Put solids into a blender and puree (in batches, if necessary) until very smooth. Return puree to the saucepan. Add the Marsala and cream, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set the pan over medium heat and gently reheat the soup. Whisk the spiced cream until lightly foamy. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with the spiced cream.