Thick French Onion Soup with Flour, White Wine and Beef Stock with homemade bread – Dairy-free version

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade bread ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl.

   Bowl
2. 2
   Add the lukewarm water and olive oil and Knead about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pliable and doesn't stick to your hands.

   BowlStand mixer

   💡For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
3. 3
   Cover and Let rise about an hour in a warm place, until the dough doubles in size.

   Plastic wraporKitchen towel

   💡Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it has doubled, and a gentle finger press leaves a dent that fills back slowly; if it springs right back, wait longer.
4. 4
   Shape the dough into an oblong loaf and place it in loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

   Loaf pan

   💡Shape a tight loaf the length of the pan: it fills the pan evenly, and the bread rises tall instead of spreading sideways.
5. 5
   Cover and Let rise 30 minutes, until the loaf has risen.

   Plastic wraporKitchen towel
6. 6
   Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
7. 7
   Bake 35–40 minutes, until the loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

   OvenLoaf pan

   💡Tapping the bottom of the loaf is the test: baked bread sounds hollow; if the sound is dull, put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
8. 8
   Turn the loaf out of the pan and let cool on a rack before slicing.

   Cooling rack

   💡Bread left in the hot pan sweats, and its crust softens: turn it out right away and cool it on a rack.

For the Fried onion

1. 9
   Heat the margarine in a pot over low heat.

   StovePot
2. 10
   Add the onion and fry for 30 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and deep golden.

   Stove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.

To assemble

1. 11
   Add the sugar and flour to the onion and stir for a minute.

   Stove

   💡Flour cooked for a minute with the onion and margarine thickens the soup without lumps: stir it in well before the liquids.
2. 12
   Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes.

   Stove
3. 13
   'Add the stock, season with salt and black pepper and bring to a boil. 'Turn down the heat and simmer 20 minutes.

   Stove

   💡The soup's flavor comes from the browned onion: low heat, frequent stirring and patience. Onion burned at the edges makes a bitter soup.

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
4. 14
   Divide the soup among ovenproof bowls, place slice of bread on top of each bowl and sprinkle with the cheese.

   LadleRamekins / cocottes
5. 15
   Put the bowls under the oven broiler for 3–5 minutes, until the cheese melts and bubbles.

   OvenRamekins / cocottes