Baked Mac & Cheese

10 cups water
kosher salt
3 cups elbow mac
1 qt heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed with knife
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
3-3 1/2 cups Gruyere (grated)
Freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup finely grated parm cheese
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
1/3 - 1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350

In a large pot, bring water to boil. Add Salt (make it salty!) Add Macaroni and stir. Cook aldente' 8-10 min. Pour and reserve 1 cup of liquid.

In the same pot, bring the cream, garlic, and the reserved liquid to a simmer. Add the mustard and 3 cups of the Gruyere Cheese. Season with salt and pepper - to taste. Simmer gently , stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and integrated with the cream Add the parm cheese and cheddar. Stir and simmer until smooth. Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and a splash of hot sauce. Stir to blend.

Add macaroni to the cream and stir gently to blend. Allow the mac to rest on stove 5-10 min. Remove and discard the garlic clove.

Fill a baking dish with mac mixture, top with bread crumbs and remaining cheese. Bake 10-12 minutes or until crusty and gooey on top