You Pick Two Review (Take Two): Panera Signature Mac and Cheese

Today I sampled Panera's new Signature Macaroni and Cheese. It was a cozy bowl of comfort. Panera's own website describes the mac and cheese in this way: "When we created our new Macaroni & Cheese, we tried 20 different cheeses to find the right blend. The winner – Vermont White Cheddar with a touch of mild American. It’s the perfect balance of sharp and creamy, making this Mac & Cheese beyond compare."

A small serving (7.75 oz) of the mac and cheese has 490 calories and a large serving (15.5 oz) has 980 calories.

Several online resources describe the macaroni and cheese as baked and some mention a bread crumb topping, although mine did not have any topping, nor does it appear to have topping in this image from Panera's website.

I've been looking around for mac and cheese recipes that a) are baked, b) feature Vermont white cheddar, and c) use shell pasta. My preliminary research tells me that Panera has been very innovative, but I'll keep looking.

Update (11/7/09): Today I tried to imitate Panera's mac and cheese in my home kitchen. The results were pretty good.

Imitation Panera Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:
16 oz pasta shells
4 tbs butter
8 tbs flour
2 cups milk
6-8 oz grated Vermont white cheddar cheese
1 oz grated American cheese (optional)
1 egg (optional)


Boil about 16 oz of pasta shells. Slightly undercook the pasta. Set aside.

Microwave 4 tbs of butter with 8 tbs of flour for two minutes, stirring with a whisk after each minute. Then slowly add 2 cups of milk, stirring with the whisk constantly. Microwave the entire mixture for several minutes, stirring after each minute, until sauce thickens and takes on a matte finish. How many minutes will depend on the power of your microwave. (Mine took about 6 minutes).

Add grated Vermont white cheddar to sauce. The sauce should be hot enough that the cheese will melt as you stir. If not, you may add the cheese then microwave a little more. For an extra creamy sauce, pour a small amount of the pre-cheese sauce into a separate bowl, add one egg and beat vigorously, then return the reserved sauce to the original sauce. Add cheese to taste. I used almost an entire 8oz block. Next time I will use a little less. Add a dash of grated American cheese (optional).

Combine pasta and sauce, then pour into a well-greased baking pan. The pasta will absorb some of the liquid, so don't worry if the mixture seems more liquid-y than the way you would normally serve pasta. I used a 9 by 9 in. pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until bubbling and starting to become golden.

Enjoy!

[Editor's note: Something funny is happening with the google searching of this site, so I am reposting this entry]