Instructions: Finely slice onions.

Melt half the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook gently for 3 minutes to form a smooth roux. Gradually stir in hot chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer 10 minutes until soup is thickenned and smooth. Stir regularly.

In a separate pan melt remaining butter, add finely sliced onion and cook over low heat until onions are evenly golden. Stir regularly. Add cider, bring to the boil and simmer 5 minutes.

Add onion mixture to soup with cream, season and reheat.

Toast bread lightly, remove crusts and cut into 4 fingers. Ladle hot soup into bowls, top with bread, sprinkle with grated cheese and melt under the grill.

Serve immediately sprinkled with chopped chives.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.