Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

Kosher salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
1 ½ cup panko
4 tablespoons Cabot Unsalted Butter
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 large eggs
2 12-ounce cans evaporated milk
24 ounces Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar or Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 6 cups), divided

Directions

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 50 mins | Total: 1 hr 10 mins

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.

BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil.

COMBINE the panko, melted butter and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.

COOK the pasta according to the package directions for al dente.  Drain well and return to the pot.

WHISK together the cream, mustard, cayenne, eggs, evaporated milk, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl.  Reserve 2 cups of the grated cheddar for topping.  Stir the remaining cheddar into the sauce.

POUR the cheese mixture into the pot with the macaroni and place over medium heat.

COOK stirring constantly, until the mixture is warm but not hot, about 3 minutes.

TRANSFER to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the reserved cheddar. Top with the breadcrumb mixture.

BAKE until the center of the casserole is set and the top is golden brown, 45 – 50 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Food Network.