It should taste vibrant and squash-y. Adjust seasonings as necessary, puréeing after any additions to fully incorporate. Ladle hot soup into bowls. Gently swirl in cream. Top with crispy chickpeas.

Simmer the stock and vegetables for a further 5 minutes or until the squash is beginning to break up. Place the soup in a blender and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and gently reheat.

Scoop out about half of the squash with a little of the liquid, place in a deep container and purée with a hand-held blender. You could use a potato masher or blend all the soup in the saucepan ...

Fried bacon and sage with a swirl of cream makes the perfect garnish for this autumnal butternut squash soup. Serve with a chunk of bread for dipping. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.

A quick and delicious way to incorporate pureed butternut squash ... meaning that your canned butternut squash can be used ...