Classic French Onion Soup

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sugar. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very soft, about 20 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and thyme, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep brown and caramelized, about 1 hour. Discard the thyme sprigs. Add the flour to the Dutch oven, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Slowly add the hot stock, then wine. Increase the heat to high, and boil 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, uncovered, 40 minutes. 

Heat the broiler. Rub one side of each baguette slice with the cut side of garlic. Place 6 ramekins or ovenproof soup bowls on a rimmed baking sheet.* Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with 2 slices of the baguette. Divide the cheese among the bowls, covering the bread and the tops of soup. Broil until the cheese melts and bubbles, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

*If you aren’t using ovenproof bowls, arrange the baguette slices on the baking sheet and sprinkle with gruyere. Broil until the cheese melts and bubbles, 4 to 5 minutes. Top each soup bowl with 2 cheese toasts.