Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 2 minutes less than the packet directions — you want it al dente, with a slight white core when you bite one. Drain the pasta well, but do not rinse it. You should see steam rising and the pasta will look matte, not glossy.

Start the sauce: In the same pot (one less dish to wash!), melt the 60g of butter over medium heat. Swirl the pot until the butter is fully melted and bubbling, but not browned — you’ll notice a nutty, warm aroma and a light golden colour.

Make the roux: Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk continuously for 1 minute. The mixture will turn pale yellow and smell slightly toasty. It should clump together into a smooth paste that pulls away from the sides of the pot.

Add the milk: Pour in the milk in a steady stream while whisking constantly. Keep whisking for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. When you drag your finger across the spoon, the line should hold its shape without running. The sauce will look glossy and smell milky and buttery.

Add the cheese: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and all three grated cheeses, reserving about 100g of the cheddar for the topping. Stir gently until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and pale orange. You’ll see ribbons of cheese disappearing into the sauce, and the texture will be thick and velvety.

Combine pasta and sauce: Tip the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce and fold everything together with a spatula until every piece of pasta is coated. The sauce should cling to the pasta, not pool at the bottom — if it looks too thick, add a splash of warm milk.

Assemble and top: Pour the mixture into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the reserved cheddar over the top. In a small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter until they look like wet sand, then scatter them over the cheese.

Bake until golden: Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 18-20 minutes, or until the top is deep golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. You’ll hear a gentle sizzle and see small bubbles breaking the surface. The breadcrumbs should be crisp and crunchy to the touch.

Rest before serving: Let the dish sit on the counter for 5 minutes. This allows the sauce to set slightly so it doesn’t turn into a soupy mess when you serve. You’ll see the surface firm up and the bubbling settle down.