Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Creamy, delicious, and easy to make. Great side dish any time of the day!
Equipment
- Stockpot
- Wooden spoon
- Small bowl
- Baking dish
Ingredients
FOR THE BECHAMEL
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 2 egg yolks
FOR CHEESES AND PASTA
- 2 cups mild shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 cups or 500g dried short pasta or macaroni, cook al dente or see package instructions
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
Instructions
FOR THE BECHAMEL
- Melt the butter. Place a stockpot on a stovetop over medium heat. Add the butter, and swirl the wooden spoon continuously until the butter melts.
- Add the flour and continue stirring until the flour is dissolved. You'll see the mixture turn foamy. Don't stop stirring, the mixture will turn slightly golden yellow (not brown). See NOTE #1
- Then, slowly add the milk and season with salt, Dijon mustard, and Sriracha. Continue stirring for 5-8 minutes or until it is slightly thickened.
- Temper the egg yolks. Place the egg yolks in a bowl, scoop 2-3 tablespoons of the white sauce, and add it to the egg yolks. Beat them with a fork until well incorporated. See NOTE #2
- Drop the tempered egg yolks into the stockpot and continue stirring for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
- Do the spoon test to see if the bechamel reaches the right consistency. See NOTE #3
- Add the cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, and Parmesan cheese, and stir until all the cheese blends smoothly with the sauce. Taste and see if you need to add more salt. It's optional to add black ground pepper. Turn off the heat and add the macaroni. Continue stirring until well combined.
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Pour the mac and cheese into the baking dish, and spread evenly. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and place cubed butter on top. Baked for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
Video
Notes
NOTE: #1 - First thing we do in making the "bechamel sauce" is to make a roux. Making roux is actually quite simple. All you need is equal parts of butter and flour. Start by melting the butter in a saucepan (or a pot where you're making your mac and cheese) over medium heat. Once it's melted, add an equal amount of all-purpose flour. Whisk the mixture together until it is smooth and begins to bubble. Then, continue to cook the roux for several minutes, stirring constantly. The longer you cook it, the darker the color and the more intense the flavor. Once it's reached the desired color, you use it to thicken sauces gravies, and soups.
NOTE #2 - When tempering egg yolks, the key is to add the hot liquid slowly while whisking vigorously. Start by heating up your liquid of choice (milk, cream, broth, etc.) until it comes to a simmer. Then, in a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they are light in color. Gradually add the hot liquid to the bowl of egg yolks, whisking continuously. This will slowly raise the temperature of the yolks and prevent them from curdling. Once all of the liquid has been added, you can then add the tempered egg yolks to the hot liquid in the pot and cook until thickened.
NOTE #3 - Do the spoon test. Dip the spoon into the sauce, then take it out and hold it horizontally. Observe the sauce that is dripping off the spoon. If the sauce is thick enough, the sauce will drip off the spoon in two or three drops. if the sauce is too thin, the sauce will run off the spoon in a steady stream. Or immediately trace a line across the back of the spoon with your finger and if the sauce is thick enough the line will remain visible. If it doesn't the sauce needs to be cooked longer.
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Make sure to come back to the blog post and give us star ratings and reviews. Thanks!