Baked French Onion Soup

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until caramelized.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until it is soft but not browned. Increase the heat to medium.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the flour begins to brown.

Stir in the beef stock and white wine, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the thyme and bay leaf and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the saucepan and let the onion soup simmer for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven broiler.

Spread the French bread slices with butter and place them buttered side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the bread in the oven and broil until bubbly and lightly browned. Remove the bread from the oven.

Set the oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the soup with salt and pepper as desired and remove the bay leaf. Divide the soup between broiler-safe soup bowls. Top each with a toasted bread slice and sprinkle the top of the bread with grated Swiss cheese.

Place the soup bowls on the rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Carefully remove the soup bowls from the oven and place them on individual plates. Serve the baked French onion soup immediately (warn guests that the bowls are very hot!).