Ultimate Mac & Cheese recipe. Rich, creamy and cheesy, this is the only macaroni recipe you need. Macaroni cheese has always been a favourite and especially my Grandma’s version. Of course this cannot rival her mac and cheese, as is always the case with my Grandma’s recipes, but it is my best try. The recipe starts with a basic roux and then the addition of milk and cream to make a white sauce. Using double cream in this Mac and Cheese makes it rich, creamy and indulgent – just how it should be. The ingredients that make this my Ultimate Mac and Cheese recipe are nutmeg, Gruyere cheese and white pepper. The nutmeg gives a delicious warm flavour to the dish so try and not leave it out. The white pepper adds a background heat without and using white rather than black pepper means there are no black speckles. Finally, the rich and nutty flavour of Gruyere tastes delicious and melts into a rich sauce.
Garlic Bread
This ultimate mac and cheese recipe is great served with garlic bread. You now get some great garlic bread in the supermarkets but if you want to make your own follow this recipe. Mix 2 tablespoons of salted butter with two teaspoons of chopped parsley (fresh or dried) and 1 crushed garlic clove. Spread the garlic and parsley butter on a slice of toasted sourdough, baguette or ciabatta and place under a hot grill for 2-3 minutes.
If you enjoyed this Ultimate Mac and Cheese then you will love my Haggis Mac & Cheese or BBQ Brisket Mac and Cheese.
Contact Me:
If you have any queries, or if you want to work with me, contact me at kerry@documentingmydinner.com. Share your recreation of this Ultimate Mac & Cheese with me on Instagram.
Ultimate Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 190 g Macaroni or penne pasta
- 50 g Butter
- 50 g Plain flour
- 1 Garlic clove crushed
- Heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 300 ml Double cream
- 500 ml Milk
- 75 g Mature coloured cheddar
- 75 g Gruyere cheese
- White pepper
- Nutmeg, whole
- 3 Rashers of bacon
- 1 tbsp Fresh parsley, finely chopped optional
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, reducing the time by 1 minute.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. When foaming, Add the garlic clove and mustard and stir for 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. This is a basic roux and cooking it out for a couple of minutes means the sauce will not taste of flour.
- Pour the double cream and the milk into a jug. Gradually add the milk and cream into the roux continuing to stir until it is all incorporated. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly until thick and saucy. This can take five or so minutes.
- Add a teaspoon of white pepper, around a quarter of the grated nutmeg and a good grinding of salt.
- Grate the cheese into the sauce and stir to melt.
- Fry the bacon until really crisp. Then heat the grill to high.
- Drain the pasta, retaining around a cupful of the pasta water. Then stir the pasta into the sauce and add a few tablespoons of pasta water to loosen the sauce to the right consistency.
- Put the macaroni cheese into a baking dish, grate some more cheese on top and grill until browned and bubbling.
- Break up the bacon into little bits and stir through some parsley and freshly ground black pepper.
- Top the Ultimate Mac & Cheese with the bacon and some black pepper and serve immediately whilst still bubbling!
I recently made a French adaptation of an American mac & cheese recipe—it turned out well, but my boyfriend wants to try a recipe with some meat in it. I’ll be trying your recipe for sure, thank you for sharing!
That sounds very interesting, I’d like to know how you made it French! Great , look forward to hearing how it went for you.
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