Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
By America's Test KitchenPublished on April 19, 2012
Time
1½ hours, plus 20 minutes resting
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
The macaroni will still be firm after cooking according to the directions in step 1 (it will finish cooking in the oven). Barilla Elbows won the test kitchen's taste test of elbow macaroni.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt and cook for 5 minutes. Drain macaroni; set aside. Toss mild cheddar with cornstarch; set aside.
- In now-empty saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Add panko and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl and reserve.
- Return saucepan to medium heat and melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in water and cream and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove cream sauce from heat and whisk in mild cheddar–cornstarch mixture until melted. Whisk in eggs, yolk, and Worcestershire. Stir in parcooked macaroni. Transfer macaroni and cheese to 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with sharp cheddar cheese, then panko. Bake until well browned and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 20 -minutes. Serve.
Time
1½ hours, plus 20 minutes restingYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Unlike standard, saucy, béchamel-based macaroni and cheese, Southern-style macaroni and cheese is made with a cold custard, and bakes into a nearly sliceable casserole. Starting with cold custard required long baking to get the center to set, leading to overcooked edges. Trading some of the whole eggs for a yolk made the custard more resilient, and starting with a hot custard reduced the baking time, meaning less chance for the edges to overcook. For the best cheese flavor and texture, we use easy-melting mild cheddar in the custard, reserving the sharp stuff for the top.
Before You Begin
The macaroni will still be firm after cooking according to the directions in step 1 (it will finish cooking in the oven). Barilla Elbows won the test kitchen's taste test of elbow macaroni.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt and cook for 5 minutes. Drain macaroni; set aside. Toss mild cheddar with cornstarch; set aside.
- In now-empty saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Add panko and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl and reserve.
- Return saucepan to medium heat and melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in water and cream and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove cream sauce from heat and whisk in mild cheddar–cornstarch mixture until melted. Whisk in eggs, yolk, and Worcestershire. Stir in parcooked macaroni. Transfer macaroni and cheese to 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with sharp cheddar cheese, then panko. Bake until well browned and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 20 -minutes. Serve.
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