..where teens can learn to cook restaurant quality meals for the family
UpCooked Macaroni Cheese with Crispy Cheese Crust, Chilli-Honey Drizzle, Bacon and Jalapeños
Ellie made this, and it was not only the best macoroni cheese we've ever had, but also one of the tasiest meals in general we've had in a long time! The mix of cheese, the colour, the crust, the bite to it, and the addition of honey just make this usually basic dish into something that's hard to put into words! You have to try it.
ADJUST SERVINGS
Most of our recipes are for 4 people. You can check and adjust the serving size by clicking on the red number above.
BEFORE YOU START
For extra heat, increase the chilli flakes! Hot honey adds something extra too.
GET SHOPPING!
This is a reminder to check what ingredients you need to buy and add them to your shopping list. It’s good to do your own food shopping, but at the very least, you’re head chef, so send a family member out to the shops for you!
GET ORGANISED
Remember ‘Skill 2’ of the Big 5: Become super-organised.:
Add your own private notes:
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Medium saucepan
- Frying pan optional for bacon
- Whisk
- wooden spoon
- Colander
- Baking dish approx 20cm x 30cm
- Cheese grater
- Small bowl
- Oven/grill
Ingredients
Pasta
- 300 g macaroni pasta
- Salt for boiling water
Cheese Sauce
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 50 g plain flour
- 600 ml whole milk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
- 150 g mature cheddar cheese grated
- 100 g Red Leicester cheese grated
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Topping
- 50 g parmesan cheese finely grated
- 50 g Red Leicester cheese grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Drizzle
- 1.5 tbsp runny honey
- 0.5 tsp chipotle chilli flakes (or standard chill flakes)
Optional Add-ins
- 100 g bacon lardons or pancetta cubes optional
- 1 fresh jalapeños finely sliced or 1 tbsp pickled
Instructions
Prep in Advance
- Grate all the cheeses and keep them in separate bowls
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (220°C/425°F conventional)
- Boil a full kettle ready for pasta
- Lightly oil your baking dish
Cook Pasta
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil
- Add the macaroni pasta and cook for 7–8 minutes until just under al dente
- Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside
Optional Add-ins
- Place a frying pan over medium heat and add bacon lardons
- Fry until golden and crispy (about 5–6 minutes), then remove and set aside
- Add fresh jalapeños to the bacon fat and sauté for 2 minutes
Make Cheese Sauce
- In a medium pan, melt the butter
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute
- Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth and thickened
- Add mustard, garlic powder and smoked paprika
- Stir in cheddar and Red Leicester until melted and smooth
- Season with salt and black pepper
Combine & Bake
- Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and mix well
- Add bacon and jalapeños if using
- Pour into baking dish and top with cheeses
- Drizzle with olive oil
- Bake for 15–20 mins, then grill for 2–3 mins
Make Drizzle
- Combine honey and chilli flakes in a bowl
- Warm slightly in microwave or pan
Serve
- Let rest 5 minutes out of oven
- Drizzle with chilli-honey and serve immediately
- If you think this tastes as good as we do please share it on social media!
Please share with us how you went!We need your feedback so we can improve the recipes and help others succeed! Please let us know by leaving a comment 🙂