Ingredients
Macaroni and cheese:
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) flour
- 500 ml (2 cups) milk
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard
- 500 ml (2 cups) macaroni
- 500 ml (2 cups) grated sharp cheddar
- Salt and pepper
Crunchy crust and topping:
- 500 ml (2 cups) Panko bread crumbs
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) melted butter
- 250 ml (1 cup) grated sharp cheddar
Preparation
Macaroni and cheese:
- Preheat oven to 200ºC (400ºF).
- In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
- Sweat the garlic.
- Stir in flour.
- Cook a few more minutes without browning.
- Incorporate milk, while stirring with a whisk.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add nutmeg, cayenne and mustard.
- Mix.
- Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes until thickened.
- Meanwhile, cook macaroni in a saucepan of boiling water until al dente.
- Drain.
- Leave the pasta in the saucepan.
- Stir in sauce and cheese.
Crust and topping:
- In a bowl, combine bread crumbs and melted butter.
- Add cheese.
- Spoon into the muffins trays, pressing on the bottom and going up the sides.*
- Add the macaroni-and-cheese.
- Top with bread crumbs.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until lightly golden.
* Be sure to properly lay the breadcrumb crust in the bottom of the molds (if possible non-stick) so that the bites do not stick.