Baked mac and cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 6 tbsp butter, divided
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 lb sharp cheddar, shredded
• 4 oz Gruyère, shredded
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 375 °F.
2. Cook the macaroni in well-salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package says. Drain.
3. Melt 4 tbsp of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
4. Whisk in the milk a little at a time. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to coat a spoon.
5. Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the mustard powder, paprika, 1 tsp salt, some pepper, three-quarters of the cheddar and all the Gruyère until melted.
6. Stir in the macaroni and spread it in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with the rest of the cheddar.
7. Melt the rest of the butter, toss it with the panko and scatter it over the top.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and golden.

Make ahead: Assemble it up to 1 day ahead without the panko and refrigerate it. The day you serve it, add the topping and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until hot in the center (165 °F).