Creamy Craft Beer Mac and Cheese

This is not your grandma’s mac and cheese. It is a delicious spin on the classic with 5 different cheeses, your favorite craft beer and our signature blend of spices. The PowerBoost^® feature increases the maximum heat by 50% to boil water quickly and HeatShift^® allows you to navigate heat level changes with ease.

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Yield: 8 Servings

Recommended Appliance: Thermador Freedom^® Induction Cooktops
Mode/Setting: PowerBoost^®, HeatShift^®
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound uncooked cavatappi pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1 small shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
¾ cup beer
1 cup whole milk
1 cup grated smoked gouda cheese
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Fill a pot of water according to pasta packaging instructions and place on the cooktop. Activate PowerBoost^® by touching the cooking zone symbol for the pot location and selecting the PowerBoost^® symbol. Once water is boiling, cook the pasta according to packaging instructions.
2. When the pasta is done, strain and set aside.
3. Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot on the induction cooktop and add the butter. Set the cooktop to power level 7 or medium high heat. After butter is melted, add shallots and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continually for 2 minutes.
5. Pour in beer and continually whisk for 30 seconds then gradually add in milk and whisk constantly for 3 minutes until thickened.
6. Push pot back to level 5 to medium heat and gradually add in all five cheeses, whisking until fully melted and smooth. Then add spices (mustard powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper), stirring well to combine.
7. Add the drained, cooked pasta and slide pot forward to level 7 or medium, high heat. Mix well and heat pasta for 5 minutes.
8. Adjust to power level 1 to keep warm until ready to serve.

Chef’s Tips:

If you can’t find cavatappi pasta, and small pasta shape can be substituted.
Customize the recipe by using your favorite beer, but keep in mind that very strongly flavored beers like a stout or IPA will impart their very strong flavors on the sauce. We prefer to use a mild beer like a pilsner or lager so we don’t overwhelm the flavors of the cheeses.