There's nothing in the world we love quite like macaroni cheese - whether it's made using gruyere cheese and crusty bread or Aged Leicestershire Red and Dijon mustard.

It's the undisputed monarch of comfort food and something we turn to in our hour of need (after a hard day at the office, say, or when we need a rainy day pick-me-up).

However, you can't really say mac 'n cheese is a cosmopolitan or sophisticated dish; that is, until now.

The folks over at FoodBeast.com have given this traditional people-pleaser a chic new spin with the invention of mac and cheese dumplings. 

This frankly brilliant innovation is made using mac and cheese, dumplings, egg and water.

Basically, you put your mac and cheese mix in the middle of a square dumpling wrapper, add in egg wash to stick the dumpling layers together and then steam your dumplings for around 10 minutes.

Before you steam them, there's an option to mix things up a bit and customise your dumplings with a few of your favourite tidbits, such as garlic or bacon bits.

And then - voilà! A round of mac and cheese dumplings is yours, to keep and eat at leisure.

For a full step-by-step recipe with photos, check out the instructions on foodbeast.com.  

This is one cheese creation that is now firmly on our list of best-ever fromage recipes, alongside delights such as deep fried ham and Swiss cheese croquettes and beer cheese spread.

Bring on the cheese-fuelled brilliance!

Photos: foodbeast.com