(serves 8, and the leftovers are superb)
1 lb elbow or other traditional macaroni shape, cooked and drained
4 tbsps butter
3 tbsps flour
1 pint whole milk, the best you can get (Jersey is my favourite)
1 1/2 lbs British cheeses (Wensleydale, Cheddar, Double Gloucester, anything!)
4 slices good old Dairylea, for creaminess
pinch nutmeg
pinch or two Maldon sea salt
pinch white pepper (unless you don’t mind the black pepper look)
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 parmesan cheese, grated
Now, make a roux with your butter and flour, melted nicely and bubbly, but not browned. Whisk in (the whisk is very important!) the milk and bring to a near-bubbling point, then add the cheeses, cut in cubes. As near as you can, whisk constantly until the cheese is melted, then add the seasonings and check to see that it’s perfect.
Nonstick-spray a large glass baking dish (we like our macaroni and cheese deep and round, but some people like it shallow and rectangular) and throw in the cooked noodles. Pour over the cheese sauce and stir thoroughly to make sure that all the noodles are submerged and their little air bubbles released. Now, you can travel to the Cotswolds with this dish, covered in aluminium, and it will be fine for hours. When you’re 45 minutes away from wanting to eat, bake it in a medium oven (375-ish) and there you go. With a couple of bangers on the side and a sauteed colourful veg or two (broccolini, peppers, asparagus, what you want is colour), you’re good to go.
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(serves 10)
225 grams (one cup) unsalted butter, softened
225 grams (one cup) caster (ordinary American) sugar
4 eggs
zest of 3 lemons, finely grated
zest of 1 lime, finely grated
225 grams (one cup) self-raising flour, or plain flour with 1 tsp baking powder added
drizzle topping
juice of 3 lemons
85 grams (1/3 cup) caster sugar
Beat the butter and sugar till soft and fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in zests and flour gently until fully mixed (including the baking powder if you are using plain flour). Tip into a loaf pan and smooth the top flat with a spoon. Lick the spoon.
Bake for about 45 minutes in an oven set to 185C, 350F. Watch carefully, because all ovens are different. Take care not to burn bottom or brown top too much. The cake is done when the middle of the top doesn’t jiggle when pressed gently. Err on the side of baking less rather than longer.
Cool cake enough so that you can handle the tin. In the meantime, mix the lemon juice and sugar till dissolved. Prick the top of…
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