Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta, and cook for the recommended time.
While your pasta is cooking, add your butter to a saucepot over meidum heat.
Once melted add your flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes or until you smell a light sightly nutty aroma coming from your pan.
Next you will add about ½ cup of the milk while whisking quickly. Once thickened, add your remaining milk and whisk again until smooth
Cheese is up next, and we will also add about ½ of the cheese and mix until incorporated, and then the other ½.
Once it's smooth, add your heavy cream and sour cream, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste.
When your pasta is done, add it to your cheese sauce and mix. I like to add slowly so if I've made too much pasta I don't throw off my sauce to noodle ratio.
Crunch Topping
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan. Add the panko breadcrumbs and lightly toast. Sprinkle, or spoon as much as desired.
Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Al dente pasta only. It keeps cooking in the hot cheese sauce.
Nutty roux: Cook the flour and butter until it smells lightly nutty to lose the raw-flour taste.
Cheese off high heat, in halves, so the sauce stays smooth instead of breaking or going grainy.
Toast the panko in butter for that crunchy, golden top.
Storage: 3-4 days in the fridge. Loosen with a splash of milk when reheating.