Another key for success we discovered: Be sure to whisk in the cheese in three stages, making sure it melts completely at each stage before adding more. So we took inspiration from Macaroni and Cheese with Garlic Bread Crumbs and tried a combination of milk and cream, which added the indulgent texture we were seeking. We tried making béchamel with milk, which was delicious but didn't have the luscious creaminess that we were looking for in our mac and cheese. The most crucial element of this casserole is the basic white sauce (aka béchamel), which serves as a creamy vehicle for all that cheese. Secret #2: Add Cream to Make a Super-Rich Sauce That bagged stuff at the grocery store usually has stabilizers, a drier texture, and less flavor than a hunk of cheddar does. Add we recommend you shred your own cheese. We chose extra-sharp cheddar to stand out in our béchamel sauce (more on that below). The parm brought a nuttiness that rounded out the cheddar flavor rather than distracting from it. We tried a few of these other cheeses in a blend with cheddar but the only one that still tasted iconic was this macaroni and cheese, which called for a combination of cheddar and parmesan.

But we wanted our ultimate recipe to deliver classic mac and cheese flavor-meaning we wanted it to taste like cheddar. Many recipes call for cheesy additions of gruyère, fontina, brie, gouda, and even blue cheese. Photo by Gieves Anderson, food styling by Anna Hampton Secret #1: Classic Cheddar is Better

The best mac & cheese recipe ever