Make Better Boxed Mac & Cheese, Add an Egg Yolk

I love Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. I enjoy it when prepared according to the package instructions, but I’m also prone to tweaking it by substituting buttermilk for regular, browning the butter, adding crème fraîche, or — as of this morning — stirring in an egg yolk.

Mixing an egg yolk into a steaming pile of carbs is not a new concept. The Japanese dish tamago kake gohan is a straightforward and delicious example of the form: Crack a raw egg (or egg yolk) over a pile of hot rice, mix it in, and season with soy sauce. The heat from the rice lightly cooks the egg, creating a saucy, custardy, comforting mixture.

I’ve applied a similar method to a bowl of grits — to excellent results — and thought I’d try it with a bowl of Kraft. The impulse was a good one.

The macaroni didn’t taste eggy, but it did taste better — a little creamier, noticeably richer, and a touch glossier. Much like tamago kake gohan, it developed a custardy quality. The results tasted a little more homemade, which makes sense when you consider eggs are a fairly common ingredient in baked macaroni and cheese recipes.

To make your own, prepare the macaroni (mostly) according to the package instructions: Cook the noodles until al dente, then drain them and return them to the pan with half a stick of butter, stirring until melted. Add the cheese powder, stir, then splash in just enough half & half to dissolve the last of the powdery cheese clumps. Finally, add a single orange yolk to the already orange noodles, then stir until it emulsifies into the sauce (which it will do beautifully).

If you are tiring of your standard boxed mac, I urge you to give it a try with an egg. The blue box may not “need” elevating, but it sure is fun to zhush.