Alan's Mac n' Cheese

Best homemade Mac n' Cheese ever!

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ALAN'S MAC N' CHEESE

~6-8 servings

1 Box (500g/1 lb) noodles (elbows or similar)

16 ounces Whole Milk 3 oz. Cream Cheese 12 oz Shredded Cheese*

¼ cup Flour ¼ cup (56g) Butter 1 heaping tablespoon Stone Ground Mustard Breadcrumbs for top

EVOO or Melted Butter Salt & Pepper to taste

*Alan uses 8oz of the 3 or 4 Cheese blend by Sargento - I've had to improvise since moving to Luxembourg and have used a mix of Gruyère, Cheddar, Asiago, and "Emmental" roughly equal parts to get me to 12 oz

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C / 165 C Fan)

Cook the noodles in well salted water, drain, and place back in the empty pot that was used to boil.

Melt butter in saucepan, whisk in flour to make the roux. Cook the mixture at a boil for 2-3 minutes.

Warm milk in a a different saucepan. Just before the boil remove from heat and add the cream cheese, mustard, black pepper. With an immersion blender blend until smooth.

Return milk mixture to a low heat. Slowly whisk in the roux and heat to fully thicken.

Add the béchamel to the cooked noodles, add the shredded cheese. Top with breadcrumbs if you are serving same day. Drizzle a little melted butter or olive oil over the breadcrumbs to help them brown. If you are serving this the next day, add the breadcrumbs and EVOO/butter just before you want to reheat, and reheat in the oven at 350 F (175 C / 165 C Fan) until the breadcrumbs are golden.

Bake at 350 F (175 C / 165 C Fan) for about 30 mins until the edges are bubbling.

Let stand a couple of minutes prior to serving.