Cheese Soup (Soupe au Fromage)

Ingredients

• 0.5 pound Gruyère cheese, grated (Approximately 225g. Light-colored dry cheese is necessary, but Gruyère is best.)
• 6 slices Stale bread crumb, thinly sliced (Use the white part (crumb) of a rustic loaf, sliced very thin.)
• 1 tbsp Butter (For making the brown roux.)
• 1 tbsp All-purpose flour (For making the brown roux.)
• 2 tbsp Onion, finely chopped
• 1 quart Water (Approximately 1 liter.)
• 1 pinch Salt (To taste.)
• 1 pinch Black pepper (To taste.)
• 3 drops Gravy browning or Parisian essence (Optional, for dark brown color (burnt sugar).)

Instructions

1. 1Grate the Gruyère cheese. Slice the stale bread crumb very thinly, removing crusts if preferred. Finely chop the onion.
2. 2Spread a layer of grated cheese at the bottom of a soup tureen or large heat-proof serving bowl. Cover this with a layer of the thin bread slices. Repeat these layers—cheese, then bread—until all the cheese is used up.
3. 3In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly until the mixture turns a nutty brown color (making a brown roux). Add the chopped onion to the roux and cook for a few minutes until the onion softens.
4. 4Add the quart of water to the saucepan with the roux and onions. Stir vigorously to dissolve the roux. Bring to a boil. Add salt, pepper, and a few drops of browning essence (if using) to achieve a dark brown color.
5. 5Pour the boiling soup directly over the layered cheese and bread in the tureen. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the bread has time to soak up the liquid and the cheese melts. Serve immediately.