Brown Butter Mac and Cheese with a Proper Crust

Cook the macaroni according to package directions until just shy of al dente — it'll finish cooking in the oven. Drain and let cool for a few minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350°F and butter a 9x13 baking dish. Toss the cooled pasta with the beaten egg in a large bowl — this creates structure like tempering eggs in a custard.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and let it foam and turn golden brown — you want that nutty aroma. Whisk in the flour, mustard, salt, and pepper, cooking for about a minute to cook out the raw flour taste. (Don't skip the brown butter step. It adds the same complexity I put in my bourbon pecan tart.)

Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly. Let it bubble for one minute to fully thicken.

Remove from heat and stir in the cream cheese first until smooth, then the American cheese, then half the cheddar. Keep stirring until you have a silky cheese sauce — think of it like making a ganache.

Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and egg mixture, folding everything together until well coated. Transfer to your prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar.

Bake for 40 minutes until the top is deeply golden and the edges are bubbling. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving — the residual heat will finish setting the custard base.