Creamy Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Macaroni

01 - 450 g dried elbow macaroni, uncooked
02 - 15 g unsalted butter

→ Cheese

03 - 450 g sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, divided (about 4 cups)
04 - 225 g Gruyère cheese, freshly shredded (about 2 cups)
05 - 115 g low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded (about 1 cup)

→ Sauce

06 - 115 g unsalted butter
07 - 65 g all-purpose flour
08 - 830 ml whole milk, warmed to lukewarm
09 - 240 ml half-and-half or heavy cream or extra whole milk

→ Seasonings

10 - 5 g Dijon mustard
11 - 5 g salt, or more to taste
12 - 2.5 g onion powder
13 - 2.5 g garlic powder
14 - 0.5 g ground paprika
15 - 0.25 g ground nutmeg
16 - ground black pepper, to taste

→ Topping (optional)

17 - 60 g panko breadcrumbs (or more to taste)
18 - 15 g unsalted butter, melted
19 - 0.25 g salt

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 180°C and lightly grease a 3-litre casserole dish.
02 - Boil elbow macaroni in a large pot of salted water just until al dente according to package instructions. Drain thoroughly, then stir in unsalted butter to coat. Transfer macaroni to the prepared casserole dish and spread evenly. Allow to cool slightly.
03 - While pasta cooks, freshly shred the cheddar, Gruyère, and mozzarella cheeses. Set aside 1 cup (about 115 g) of shredded cheddar for the topping. Combine the remaining cheddar, Gruyère, and mozzarella in a bowl.
04 - Melt unsalted butter in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture loses its raw flour aroma and begins to foam without browning, about 1 to 2 minutes.
05 - Gradually whisk in the warmed milk, maintaining medium heat to avoid lumps or splatter. Stir continuously until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add half-and-half (or cream) and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in Dijon mustard, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, nutmeg, and black pepper. Add the mixed cheeses (excluding reserved cheddar) and stir until melted and sauce becomes velvety smooth.
06 - Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni and stir gently to coat all pasta. Smooth the top in the casserole dish.
07 - Evenly sprinkle reserved shredded cheddar over the assembled macaroni. In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix panko breadcrumbs with melted unsalted butter and salt. Scatter breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the topping is lightly golden. Avoid overbaking to preserve a creamy interior. Rest for 5 to 10 minutes after baking before serving warm.

# Notes:

01 - Cook macaroni just to al dente, as it will further soften during baking.
02 - Shred cheese from blocks for optimal melt and texture.
03 - Gradually add milk to the roux and whisk constantly to prevent lumps.
04 - Allow the dish to rest before serving for the creamiest result.
05 - For additional crunch, broil the topping for 2 to 3 minutes at the end of baking.

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