macaroni gratin from thomas keller's bouchon. cupcake style.

my boyfriend has his team holiday lunch potluck and he volunteered me to make his favorite macaroni and cheese.  i made this for him once because i was testing recipes from thomas keller's bouchon cookbook and he hasn't stopped requesting it since.  and luckily for him, i love it too. 

so there i was, the night before, prepared to make this delectable goodie and they boyfriend says to me "how am i going to reheat this?".  that was a problem.   i guess its not common for offices to have an oven and the pyrex pan i was planning to use would be too big to fit in the microwave.  after a couple of minutes of brain-storming, we came up with a solution.  a very cute solution, might i add.

Fresh out of the oven!

Packed and ready to go.

Pretty.  Isn't it?

cupcake macaroni gratin.
adapted from thomas keller's bouchon.  delicious macaroni and cheese in almost bite-sized portions.  
makes 24 cupcakes.

what you'll need:

• cupcake molds
• large pot
• medium pot
• large bowl
• whisk

ingredients:

moray sauce:

• 4 tbsp butter
• 2/3 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 2/3 cup milk
• 2 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 whole cloves
• 4 whole peppercorns
• pinch of nutmeg
• white pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Comte or Emmentaler cheese

mac and cheese:

• 8 ounces macaroni
• 1 cup sautéed wild mushrooms (optional)
• 1/2 cup bacon (optional)
• 1/2 cup grated Comte or Emmentaler cheese
• 2 to 3 tsp thyme
• 3 tbsp panko crumbs

directions:

moray sauce:

1. melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan set on a diffuser over medium heat.
2. add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
3. sprinkle in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly so that the roux doesn't burn or color.
4. whisking constantly, add the milk and cream and whisk until fully incorporated.
5. bring to a simmer, whisking, then add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and cloves.
6. move the pan to one side of the diffuser, away from direct heat to avoid scorching, and bring back to a gentle simmer. adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, reaching into the corners of the pan, for about 30 minutes. (If the sauce does begin to scorch, pour it into a clean pan - don't scrape the bottom of the pan - and continue).
7. remove the sauce from the heat and season to taste with salt, a grating of nutmeg, and a pinch of white pepper.
8. strain the sauce, add the cheese, and whisk to melt.
9. use immediately, or place in a storage container, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to keep a skin from forming, and refrigerate for up to a week.
10. if the sauce is too thick after refrigeration, it can be thinned with a little heavy cream.

mac and cheese:

1. bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender; drain, rinse under cold water, and drain on paper towels.
2. meanwhile, put a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400F.
3. warm the mornay sauce in a large saucepan over low heat. If the sauce has been refrigerated and seems too thick, thin it with a little additional heavy cream. remove from the heat and add the macaroni and mushrooms or ham, if using. Mix well and season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. (The mixture may look loose, but the macaroni will continue to absorb sauce and it will thicken as it bakes.)
4. divide evenly into 2 cupcake molds. sprinkle the top with the thyme, cheese, and bread crumbs.
5. place the cupcake molds on a baking sheet in order to catch any sauce that may bubble over, then place in the oven. turn the heat down to 375F and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture is hot and bubbling around the edges. If the gratin has not browned, turn on the broiler to brown the top.

final notes:
i thought the cupcake tins would be hard to clean, but i was wrong.  these babies just slipped right out of the molds [ they are easier to remove after they have cooled down a bit ].  added bonuses: perfect portions for making sure everyone has a taste at a potluck.  AND they are so darn cute.  who wouldn't enjoy them??  ENJOY! :D


<3 BabyBear