The BEST truffled Mac & Cheese

I have made a ton of different home made Mac & Cheese dishes over the years and have never shared one with you guys because we can't seem to find the perfect one.  We love it creamy and have tried using velveeta , cream cheese, gourmet cheese, lobster, bacon, you name it, to try and get it just right and always fall short. Because apparently we were missing the key ingredient...truffle oil.  It's such a small amount, but adds so much flavor. Wait until you try this.

Truffled Mac & Cheese

via William Sonoma

Comforting macaroni and cheese reaches a new level with a drizzle of sumptuous truffle oil. 

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter for baking dish, plus 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) 

Salt, to taste

1 lb. elbow macaroni 

2 tsp. truffle oil 

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1/2 tsp. sweet paprika 

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard 

2 cups milk 

1 cup half-and-half

Freshly ground pepper, to taste 

1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese 

1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese 

2 Tbs. minced fresh chives

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. While the pasta is still warm, drizzle with the truffle oil and stir well.

Return the saucepan to medium-high heat and melt the 4 Tbs. butter. Add the flour, paprika and mustard and cook, stirring well, until no visible flour remains, 1 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk, half-and-half and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer, whisking frequently to smooth out any lumps, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add a pinch of pepper and 1 cup each of the Gruyère and cheddar. Stir until smooth.

Pour the cheese sauce onto the macaroni, add the chives and stir well. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheeses. Bake until the top is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma One Pot of the Day, by Kate McMillan (Weldon Owen, 2012).

:: Love this Idea ::

Try baking individual portions in buttered muffin pans, and pass a tray of mini macs at your next party.