Mac ’n’ Cheese

Time: 15 minutes for cooking pasta; 25 minutes in the Thermomix; 30−40 minutes baking

Yield: 4 generously

As reassuring as a goodnight kiss, mac ’n’ cheese is comfort food at its best. It ticks every box in the book: it can be made ahead of time in total or in various stages, it can be made just for two or to feed a crowd, reheats like a dream, it won’t break the bank and everyone likes it. And what’s not to like? This ostensibly humble dish pops up on smart menus all over our most food-obsessed cities. We like it as a main dish but it’s also a classic steakhouse side-order and has even been sighted at Neil Perry’s much-awarded Rockpool restaurants. Our recipe uses three cheeses, giving a beautiful creamy texture to the sauce with no graininess, plus depth of flavour. Once you’ve tried this one it will be a bit like pulling on your favourite jeans; you know it will always be good, whatever the occasion.

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Three-Cheese Macaroni

words & recipe Lesley Russell

Ingredients

160 grams dry macaroni, cooked in boiling salted water until al dente

40 grams each of cheddar, gruyere and parmesan cheeses, cut into pieces

500 grams full-cream milk

¼ onion, peeled

1 bay leaf

2 whole cloves

50 grams salted butter

50 grams plain flour

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 egg yolk

1 pinch salt and ground white pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan-forced.

2. Place all three cheeses in the mixing bowl and chop 5 seconds/speed 8. Set aside.

3. Pour the milk into the mixing bowl and add the onion, bay leaf and cloves. Infuse by heating 5 minutes/60 degrees/reverse/speed 1.

4. Pour the milk and flavourings into a jug and allow it to stand and infuse for a further 5 minutes or so.

5. Meanwhile, place the butter into the mixing bowl and melt 3 minutes/60 degrees/speed 2.

6. Add the flour and cook 4 minutes/Varoma/speed 4. The mixture should be sizzling slightly and look a little sandy; if not cook a minute further.

7. Strain the warm milk back in to the mixing bowl then Cook 5 minutes/90 degrees/speed 4. Then cook again 2 minutes/100 degrees/speed 4, the mixture should be boiling at the end of the cooking time.

8. Take the lid off and allow the sauce to cool for a few minutes. Then add the grated cheeses, mustard and egg yolk. Mix 30 seconds/speed 4.

9. Combine the sauce with the cooked macaroni and turn into a buttered 1-litre shallow ovenproof dish.

10. Bake in the centre of the oven at 170C (fan-forced) for 30−40 minutes, the sauce should be bubbling at the sides and the top nicely browned.

11. Serve with greens and crusty bread.

AND … Your call as to when to boil the macaroni. You can do it while the sauce is in the Thermomix so they’re ready at about the same time but if you cook the pasta first, give it a light coating of butter or oil as soon as it’s drained so it doesn’t form clumps while you’re waiting for the sauce to cook. Or, keep the finished sauce in the fridge for a day or three until you’re ready to boil the pasta and do the bake.

", "totalTime": " 15 minutes for cooking pasta; 25 minutes in the Thermomix; 30−40 minutes baking", "recipeYield": "4 generously", "recipeIngredient": [ "160 grams dry macaroni, cooked in boiling salted water until al dente","40 grams each of cheddar, gruyere and parmesan cheeses, cut into pieces","500 grams full-cream milk","1/4 onion, peeled","1 bay leaf","2 whole cloves","50 grams salted butter","50 grams plain flour","1 teaspoon Dijon mustard","1 egg yolk","1 pinch salt and ground white pepper" ], "recipeInstructions": [ "1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan-forced. 2. Place all three cheeses in the mixing bowl and chop 5 seconds/speed 8. Set aside. 3. Pour the milk into the mixing bowl and add the onion, bay leaf and cloves. Infuse by heating 5 minutes/60 degrees/reverse/speed 1. 4. Pour the milk and flavourings into a jug and allow it to stand and infuse for a further 5 minutes or so. 5. Meanwhile, place the butter into the mixing bowl and melt 3 minutes/60 degrees/speed 2. 6. Add the flour and cook 4 minutes/Varoma/speed 4. The mixture should be sizzling slightly and look a little sandy; if not cook a minute further. 7. Strain the warm milk back in to the mixing bowl then Cook 5 minutes/90 degrees/speed 4. Then cook again 2 minutes/100 degrees/speed 4, the mixture should be boiling at the end of the cooking time. 8. Take the lid off and allow the sauce to cool for a few minutes. Then add the grated cheeses, mustard and egg yolk. Mix 30 seconds/speed 4. 9. Combine the sauce with the cooked macaroni and turn into a buttered 1-litre shallow ovenproof dish. 10. Bake in the centre of the oven at 170C (fan-forced) for 30−40 minutes, the sauce should be bubbling at the sides and the top nicely browned. 11. Serve with greens and crusty bread. " ] }

6 Comments

misscheif 4 years 4 months ago

This was the first recipe I tried from the magazine and it was delicious. It was easy to make, no strange ingredients and when I doubled the mix it fed 2 adult males, with hollow legs and 2 normal females with some left over for a lunch.

I have made it as per recipe and have also added bacon and ham chunks to others, my husband prefers it with ham and everybody else just loves it anyway it comes. Four stars, excellent!

geoffs 4 years 4 months ago

Thanks for the kind words. We're stoked!!

SarahLHEgypt 3 years 11 months ago

I love this recipe. It's my go to Mac and Cheese. The infusion of flavours into the milk and cooking the roux make all the difference. I've made too many Mac and Cheese Thermomix recipes that taste like uncooked flour. Thanks.

TMixPlus Team 3 years 11 months ago

SarahLHEgypt - what a compliment! Thank you so much for your kind words - please make sure you tell your friends!

Melanie 2 years 11 months ago

I love the way this makes a classic quick snack gourmet. I will never look at any other Mac n cheese recipe again!

TMixPlus Team 2 years 11 months ago

Thanks Melanie - we agree - it's a delicious comfort dish.