Sign Language Mac & Cheese 🧀
Recommended Equipment
Sign Language Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 200g pasta
- 20g pasta water
- 160g heavy cream
- 160g milk (typically whole, but we used coconut)
- 240g shredded cheese blend (we used 75% sharp cheddar & 25% Gouda)
- 12g sodium citrate (you can buy or make your own!)
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- salt & pepper, to taste
Preparation
Cook pasta in salted water until just al dente.
Drain and set aside. Reserve 20g plus a splash in case you want to further thin the sauce later.
Warm the liquids. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, cream, and pasta water. Heat until steaming, not boiling.
Whisk in the sodium citrate until fully dissolved.
To make a smooth, creamy cheese sauce using sodium citrate, a general multiplier is 2-3% sodium citrate by the weight of the cheese and liquid. We are using 465g here (240g cheese + 160g heavy cream + 160g milk + 20g pasta water), and 2% of this weight is 12g. If you want to scale this recipe, apply this multiplier to determine the amount of sodium citrate to use.
Melt the cheese. Gradually add the shredded cheddar and gouda, stirring constantly. Stir until the sauce is completely smooth and glossy.
While sodium citrate helps keep the sauce silky, still avoid overheating, since too much heat can still mess with the texture.
Season. Add the mustard powder and smoked paprika. Stir, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to fully coat.
Garnish with cracked pepper, herbs, or toasted breadcrumbs for crunch. Serve immediately.