Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
Pour in the canned tomatoes with their juices, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, then add the broth and sugar.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low so the soup gently bubbles, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the soup has thickened slightly.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes; this prevents hot liquid from splattering dangerously when blended.
Add the fresh basil leaves, then blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender, or in batches in a stand blender (never fill a blender more than halfway with hot liquid, and hold the lid down with a towel).
Return the blended soup to the pot over low heat and stir in the heavy cream, salt, and pepper.
Warm gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until heated through; do not let it come to a hard boil once the cream is added or it may curdle.
Taste and adjust salt as needed; the soup should taste bright and slightly sweet, balanced by the cream.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with a few torn basil leaves before serving.

Let the soup cool slightly before blending hot liquid, and never fill a blender jar more than halfway to avoid dangerous splatter.

Add the cream after blending and keep the heat low afterward, since boiling cream-based soup hard can cause it to separate.