Method

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a large pot over medium heat, add the butter and onions. Cook until the onions turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, but don't let them brown at all. Season with a pinch of salt.
• Add the carrots, garlic, and dried thyme, and stir together. Cook for 30 seconds, just until garlic becomes fragrant.
• Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes until the carrots are very tender.
• Spread your baguette slices out on a baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil. Then, sprinkle generously with finely grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake toasts at 400°F until edges are browned and Parmesan cheese is starting to turn a light tan color around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the toasts and set aside.
• When the carrots are tender, use an immersion blender right in the pot to blend soup until smooth.
• If you don’t have an immersion blender, remove the soup from the heat and allow to cool until it isn’t steaming hot. Then, you can blend in batches in a standard blender and return it to your pot. Return the blended soup to low heat and season with salt and white pepper, if you wish.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in about a tablespoon of heavy cream into each bowl. Garnish the soup with a sprinkle of paprika and fresh minced chives. Plus, add a cheesy toast dipper!
• Leftover soup keeps well in the fridge for 5 days, or you can transfer it to freezer-safe ziptop bags and freeze it for up to six months. Reheat the soup gently over low heat on the stovetop.