For the panko topping, pick the thyme and finely chop the sage

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan on a medium heat

Continue to swirl the butter as the solids turn golden brown and start to smell biscuity

Remove from the heat, drop in the herbs and allow to cool slightly

Stir through the panko bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper

Bring a pan filled with water and salt to a rolling boil

Add the macaroni and cook until al dente

Drain, toss in a splash of oil and set aside

Add the chicken stock, thyme, rosemary and peppercorns to a sauce pan

Bring to the boil on a medium high heat and immediately turn the heat off and set aside the pan for the stock to infuse

Pour the white wine into a saucepan and on a medium heat, reduce until you only have roughly 60g of wine reduction left

Strain the stock into the pan with the wine reduction and turn the heat down to low

Finely slice the American cheese and grate half the gruyere

Put all the American Cheese and grated Gruyere in a bowl, add the corn flour and stir through

Add the cheese and cornflour to the pan of reduced wine and stock, whisking continuously until the cheese has melted and the sauce thickens

Take a small amount of the sauce out of the pan and into a mixing bowl

Whisk in the cream cheese and Dijon until fully incorporated

Whisk the cream cheese and Dijon slurry back into the sauce until fully incorporated

Fold the pasta through the sauce and mix until combined

Cut the remaining gruyere into small cubes and fold them through the pasta

Season with salt and pepper to taste before transferring to an oven proof dish

Top with the brown butter panko crumbs and bake on 180°C for 15 minutes until golden