Cook the pasta

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Cook the macaroni until just shy of al dente, then drain.

Make the cheese sauce

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour.
• Cook the roux briefly, then gradually whisk in the warm milk and cream until smooth and thickened.
• Season with salt, pepper and paprika, then stir in most of the cheddar, Gruyère and mozzarella off the heat until melted.

Combine pasta and sauce

• Fold the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce until evenly coated.

Assemble and bake

• Pour half the macaroni into a buttered baking dish and scatter over some of the reserved cheese.
• Top with the remaining macaroni and finish with the rest of the shredded cheese.
• Bake until bubbling and golden on top.

Rest and serve

• Let the baked mac and cheese rest briefly before serving.