Description

This is probably one of the most sinfully calorie-rich recipes I've ever come across. Although, if you don't mind spending a little extra time at the gym to burn this off, it shouldn't be a problem.

Ingredients

• For the crust:
• 3½ cups all-purpose flour (from the freezer if possible)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
• ¼ cup cold vegetable shortening
• 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp. scant apple cider vinegar + enough ice water to make ¾ cup liquid
• For mac ‘n’ cheese filling:
• 5 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups dried macaroni
• 4 Tbsp. of butter (½ a stick)
• 4 Tbsp. flour
• 2.5 cups heavy cream
• 2 tsp mustard powder
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 pound grated cheese — an equal parts mixture of gruyere, sharp cheddar, brie (no rind)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the bacon lattice:
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Steps

1. For the crust
2. 1. Measure out all of your ingredients for the crust and make sure your butter and shortening are very cold. (It helps to put them in the freezer after they’re measured and cut into pieces. It also helps to keep the flour in the freezer.)
3. 2. Put flour, butter, vegetable shortening, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse JUST until butter resembles tiny pebbles, about 12-15 times. (If you don’t have a food processor, stir the dry ingredients then cut the fats into the mixture with the tines of a fork until you have tiny pebbles and it’s pretty well incorporated.) Transfer to a large bowl. Gradually add vinegar-ice water mixture, using a fork to stir until dough is a mixture of clumpy wet pieces and sandy pieces, adding more water if dry. Take care not to over-moisten your dough — you don’t have to use all ¾ cups liquid. Watch the dough and stop adding liquid once it begins to clump. It doesn’t need to be completely stuck together.