Mac and cheese is creamy and rich when you add four basic ingredients

Few things in life are as comforting as a piping hot bowl of rich, cheesy pasta.

Whether you've had a hard day at work or the dreary weather has left you feeling grumpy, a generous serving of creamy carbohydrates can be just what the doctor ordered - metaphorically speaking, of course.

Macaroni and cheese fits this bill perfectly, with its hearty and satisfying nature, it's akin to receiving a warm hug.

However, despite the dish's name suggesting all you need is some macaroni and a good helping of cheddar, creating a great mac and cheese requires a bit more culinary finesse.

Fortunately, the late, great Anthony Bourdain has come to the rescue of home cooks in need of guidance with his foolproof recipe that's guaranteed to lift your spirits.

One person who put this mood-enhancing meal to the test was Sofia Antona, a food influencer on TikTok. She began her video by saying: "I was in such a grumpy mood today, so I took myself to Tesco to make Anthony Bourdain's macaroni and cheese from his book Appetites: A Cookbook.

"It's my go-to as it uses a really nice blend of cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan and gruyere, so it's super cheesy and comforting."

The chef, renowned for stripping back cooking to its essentials to create the best dishes from a few simple ingredients, appears to have done it again with a delicious recipe that won't take hours to prepare or leave you with a mountain of washing up.

To whip up a full-sized dish that will serve around four people, he starts by boiling approximately 1lb of elbow macaroni in heavily salted water.

It's crucial not to overcook the pasta as it will be going back into the oven later, which will cause it to soften further.

Next, melt five tablespoons of unsalted butter in a pan until it starts to foam, then gently sprinkle in an equal amount of plain white flour, stirring continuously to create a roux.

The mixture should begin to form a loose dough-like texture. Keep gently moving it around the pan on a medium-high heat until the mixture starts to darken.

At this point, you're aiming for the roux to become a rich golden brown so it can develop a deeper, nuttier flavour.

Once it's looking nice and golden, gradually add about a litre of milk, whisking constantly and gently incorporating all the milk.

Then once fully combined, switch back to a wooden spoon and gently cook until it's just under boiling point. The sauce should continue to thicken to roughly the consistency of double cream.

After you have the sauce, known as a Bechamel, you can start to add flavour. Bourdain adds two teaspoons each of mustard powder and cayenne pepper, as well as one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce.

Next, add approximately 110g of grated high-quality parmesan (reserving a few handfuls for the top) and gruyere, 140g of cheddar and 85g of torn fresh mozzarella. Once the cheese has completely melted, throw in 110g of sliced ham and mix in the macaroni.

Transfer to a baking dish, top with the remaining cheese and bake in a 190C oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

Allow it to cool down to avoid scalding your mouth and then dig in, but be forewarned, it might leave you feeling a bit drowsy afterwards.