What is bechamel sauce and how to make it

What is bechamel sauce?

Béchamel / Bechamel sauce is a white sauce,quite creamy in consistency and texture, which is made with scalded milk plus equal parts of both butter and flour. It is a base sauce for many French recipes and sauces. The most commonly used bachamel sauce by home cooks is the starter bechamel sauce for macaroni and cheese.

To make a bechamel sauce, scald one cup of water either on the stove top or in the microwave. In a saucepan melt 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp of flour for a thin bechamel sauce or 3 tbsp butter with 3 tbsp flour for a thick bechamel sauce. Once the butter is melted, slowly pour the milk into the saucepan until heated through. You do not want to mixture to start turning brown (such as with a roux) since bechamel is a white sauce.

You need to stir the mixture constantly, as it can burn quite easily. If it burns, you will need to start fresh, as the burned taste will tarnish the entire dish that uses the burned bechamel sauce.