Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Crunchy Panko Topping

Pour the milk into a small saucepan. Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the back of a knife and add them to the pan along with the onion wedges, peppercorns and bay leaf. Stir to combine, then place the pan over medium heat and bring the milk to a gentle boil, stirring once or twice as it heats. As soon as it begins to boil, remove it from the heat, cover with a lid and allow the milk to infuse for 15 minutes.

While the milk is infusing, prepare the crunchy topping. In a bowl, combine the melted butter, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan, smoked paprika, salt and thyme. Stir with a fork until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated in butter, then set aside.

Once the milk has finished infusing, strain it through a sieve into a pouring jug, discarding the solids.

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced and bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine, allowing the mixture to bubble gently for about one minute to cook out the raw flour taste.

Gradually add the infused milk, about ¼ cup at a time, whisking continuously to keep the sauce smooth. Take your time with this step, making sure to scrape around the sides of the pan as you go. Once all of the milk has been incorporated, allow the sauce to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until slightly thickened and able to coat the back of your spoon.

Add the macaroni to the boiling salted water and stir well to ensure it does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, until the pasta is partially cooked but still firm in the centre.

Slowly pour the cream into the béchamel, stirring until fully combined. Add the gruyère, cheddar and parmesan and stir continuously until the cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth.

Stir in the nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, salt and white pepper until everything is well combined.

Drain the macaroni, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, then return the pasta to the pot. Stir the reserved pasta water into the cheese sauce, then pour the sauce over the pasta and mix gently with a spatula until the macaroni is evenly coated.

Transfer the macaroni and cheese to a large rectangular baking dish, approximately 33 × 23 cm, and spread it evenly to the edges using a spatula.

Sprinkle the crunchy topping evenly over the surface, then bake for 15 minutes or until the topping is golden and crisp.

Remove from the oven and allow the macaroni and cheese to sit for a few minutes before serving. I like to serve it with a simple green salad on the side to balance the richness.