Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese

• 454 g medium shells pasta
• 57 g unsalted butter
• 31 g flour
• 600 ml milk
• 240 ml heavy cream
• 227 g sharp white cheddar, shredded
• 8 American cheese slices (ideally white, but regular ones will do)
• 3 ml ground dry mustard
• 5 ml kosher salt
• 3 ml hot sauce
• 3 ml pepper

Mga Tagubilin

1. Pasta

   1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta noodles and cook until al dente. Do not overcook. Drain the pasta once it is ready.

2. Cheese Sauce

   2

   Melt the butter in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook for about a minute, stirring it into a paste. While whisking, slowly pour in the milk and cream, a little at a time. Stir the mixture into a thick paste and then into a homogenous liquid. Add the dry mustard, hot sauce, kosher salt, and ground pepper. Bring to a boil (this will take about 4 minutes), stirring constantly. Once it has boiled, cook for about another 4 minutes until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

3. 3

   Reduce the heat to low and add the cheeses a little at a time while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the cooked pasta. Serve and enjoy!