*Serves:* 6-8*Soup Base:*6-8 cups chicken stock2 tbsp canola oil5-6 carrots1 onion1 tsp cinnamon2 whole star anise1 whole bay leaf1 tbsp white wine vinegarSalt & White pepper to taste*Spiced Crumble:*1 cup all purpose flour4 tbsp butter1/4 brown sugar1/2 tsp ground all spice1/2 tsp ground clove1/2 tsp ground cinnamon1/2 tsp ground nutmegpinch of salt*Whipped creme fresh:*1/2 cup creme fraiche salt and pepper to taste*Instructions:*1.In a large sauce pan on medium-high heat, add a few tbsp of canola oil, your sliced carrots and diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, add the cinnamon, bay leaf, star anise, and continue to simmer for 20-30 minutes. 2. While the soup is cooking, pre-heat your oven to 375f. Grab medium sized mixing bowl and add 4 tbsp of cold diced butter, the brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and all the spices. Add half of the flour and begin mixing with a pastry blender or with your hands. The mixture should start to form beads of dough, and become slightly sticky. If you need to add a little more flour, now is the time. Once the you have a "crumbly" dough, pour it onto a baking tray and place it into your 375f oven for 10-15 minutes. Also this is a good time to whip up the creme fraiche, so grab another medium sized mixing bowl, add the creme fraiche, salt & pepper, and whisk for 10 minutes until light and fluffy. Reserve in the fridge until ready to use.3. Take the simmering soup off of the stove after the onions and carrots are very tender, take out the whole bay leaf and star anise and pour the hot soup base into a blender. Add 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar and slowly turn on the blender to the highest setting and blend for 3-4 minutes until its perfectly smooth. Pour the pureed soup back into the sauce pan and place it on low heat to keep it warm.Season with a pinch or two of salt and some white pepper.4. Once the crumble is a dark golden brown and is fairly dry, take it out to the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Pour the soup into a bowl, take the whipped creme fraiche out of the fridge and dollop a tbsp or so right on top, then finish it out with a few generous sprinklings of the spiced crumble and... ENJOY!
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