Ingredients:

  • 450 g (16 oz) Elbow Macaroni or Medium Shell Pasta
  • 2 tsp Fine Sea Salt (for boiling water)
  • 115 g (8 Tbsp) Unsalted Butter, divided
  • 60 g (1/2 cup) All-Purpose Flour
  • 950 ml (4 cups) Whole Milk, warmed slightly
  • 240 ml (1 cup) Heavy Cream
  • 1 tsp Mustard Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
  • 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 340 g (3 cups) Sharp Cheddar, freshly grated
  • 115 g (1 cup) Gruyère or Monterey Jack, freshly grated
  • 60 g (1/2 cup) Smoked Gouda, freshly grated
  • 30 g (1/4 cup) Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
  • 55 g (4 Tbsp) Unsalted Butter, melted (for topping)
  • 120 g (2 cups) Panko Breadcrumbs

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Lightly grease the 9x13 inch baking dish. Grate all cheeses and set aside, reserving 1/4 cup of the Sharp Cheddar for the topping.
  2. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the macaroni 2 minutes shy of the package instructions (al dente). Drain well and set aside. Do not rinse the pasta.
  3. Make the Roux: Melt 60g (4 Tbsp) of the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 1–2 minutes until the roux is smooth and pale gold.
  4. Create the Béchamel: Slowly, pour in the warm whole milk and heavy cream, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, whisking frequently, until it thickens sufficiently to coat the back of a spoon (about 5–7 minutes).
  5. Season the Sauce: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, mustard powder, nutmeg, and cayenne.
  6. Melt the Cheese: Add the grated Cheddar (excluding the reserved portion), Gruyère/Jack, and Gouda to the sauce off the heat, stirring constantly until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and velvety. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  7. Combine: Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked, drained pasta. Stir gently until every piece of pasta is thoroughly coated.
  8. Fill Baking Dish: Transfer the mac and cheese mixture into the prepared 9x13 inch dish.
  9. Prepare Topping: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, panko breadcrumbs, the reserved 1/4 cup of shredded Cheddar, and the Parmesan. Mix until the panko is evenly coated.
  10. Bake: Sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over the pasta. Bake for 10–15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbly around the edges.
  11. Rest and Serve: Allow the mac and cheese to rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. This helps the sauce set slightly.