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1
Melt the butter in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
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2
Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic puree; cook for 3 minutes, until vegetables are soft.
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3
Mix in the potatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and bay leaf, and stir continuously for 2 to 3 minutes, until potatoes begin to soften and spices are aromatic.
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4
Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes.
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5
Remove the bay leaf.
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6
Puree the soup using a hand-held immersion blender, or blend in several batches in a blender.
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7
(If using a standard blender, place a folded dish towel over the top to prevent hot liquid from splashing out.)
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8
Pulse on and off until the soup is smoothly pureed.
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9
Return the soup to the saucepan and whisk in the cream, brown sugar, molasses, salt, and pepper.
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10
Serve hot.
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11
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
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12
Place the garlic in a small, ovenproof container and pour in the oil.
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13
Use additional oil if needed to completely immerse all the garlic cloves.
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14
Cover the container with aluminum foil and roast 1 hour, until garlic is soft and light golden brown.
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15
Strain the garlic and place in a blender along with 2 tablespoons of the oil.
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16
Puree to a smooth consistency, adding a small amount of oil if necessary.
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17
Pour into a container and cover the top of the puree with a thin layer of the oil.
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18
Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
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19
Reserve the remaining garlic-infused oil in another container and refrigerate.
