Recipes

The following recipes — considered favorites by our guests — were sourced from a variety of media by Sandscrest Chef Chris Villamagna.

BREADS & SCONES

ENGLISH SCONES

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup dried currants or golden raisins (sultanas)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 Tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg and 1 Tablespoon water or milk for an egg wash

Instructions

Soak dried currants or sultanas in hot water for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a pastry cutter or two knives, mix the flour, baking powder, butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl until pea-sized crumbs are formed. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add the egg mixture and soaked currants to the flour mixture and mix until smooth.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface, cover, and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Roll out the dough to a 1-inch thickness and cut into a desired shape. (Triangles are a common scone shape, but rounds and squares are traditionally served at Sandscrest.) Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet and let rest another 5 minutes. Whisk egg wash with a fork or small whisk and use a pastry brush to cover the top of each scone.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and enjoy with jam and clotted cream. A note: The latter is difficult to access in the U.S. Chris makes her own. That recipe remains a house secret…

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PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Simmer milk in a small sauce pan. Remove from heat, stir in butter and sugar and let cool.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit until foamy. Combine milk and yeast mixtures, eggs, salt, and half of the flour in a mixer with the dough hook and mix until smooth. Add remaining flour, a bit at a time, and stir until a smooth ball forms.

Remove dough from the bowl and knead the lump by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This should take about an hour.

On a floured surface, punch down the dough. Divide and shape into lumps the size of a tennis ball. Fill a parchment-lined baking sheet with a single layer of dough balls. Cover the tray and let the dough rise until doubled, This should take about a half hour.

Preheat the oven 350 degrees F.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter before serving.

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DESSERTS

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

  • ½ cup salted butter
  • 1 cup high-quality chocolate chips (any level of darkness or a mix of darkness/sweetness levels will work)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Glaze

  • 3 Tbsp salted butter
  • ⅔ cup high-quality, semi-sweet chocolate (not milk chocolate) chips

Instructions

Line a round 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Melt butter in a large, heatproof bowl in the microwave. Add the chocolate chips to the bowl and let sit for a few minutes. Stir the butter and chips together until the chips melt. Add additional microwaving time as needed. When the mixture is smooth, set aside at room temperature for five minutes.

Whisk the sugar, salt and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Add the three eggs and whisk again until well blended. Stir in the cocoa powder.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Immediately flip right side up onto another wire rack. Cool to room temperature.

Wrap and freeze the cake at this point if desired for later serving. If serving soon, prepare the glaze by melting the butter and chocolate chips together in a glass bowl in the microwave. Heat for one minute at a time, stirring between heating sessions, until smooth.

Spread glaze evenly over the cake. Set cake aside to cool and harden. This may take several hours. The cake can alternatively be tightly wrapped and frozen at this point.

Immediately before serving (after thawing to room temperature for several hours if working with a frozen cake), top cake slices the Sandscrest way. Chris prefers a dusting of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries. Episcopal-themed chocolates are optional. 😊

Note: This dessert is crazy rich. One cake has 12 servings.

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NAN HADDAD’S BREAD PUDDING

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ teaspoons nutmeg
  • 2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped and dry roasted
  • 10 cups very stale French of Italian bread, crusts removed (If bread is not completely dried out, put cubes in 170 degree F oven for 45 minutes

Beat eggs at high speed until extremely frothy and bubbles are the size of pinheads – about 3 minutes. Add sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and butter and beat until well blended. Beat in milk and then stir in raisins and pecans.

Place bread crumbs in a greased pan. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Bake at 300 degrees F for about 45 minutes, or until top springs back when touched and is golden. Increase temperature to 425 degrees F and bake 20 minutes more, or until brown and puffy.

Set aside until ready to top with Lemon Sauce and Chantilly Cream.

Lemon Sauce

  • 2 lemons, halved
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Squeeze 4 Tablespoons of juice from the lemon halves and place juice in a 1 quart saucepan. Add the lemon halves, water and sugar and bring to a boil. Dissolve 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch in ½ cup water. Stir in this mixture plus the vanilla.

Cook 1 minute over high heat, stirring constantly. Strain, squeezing the sauce from the lemon rinds.

Set aside until ready to serve warm atop each serving of bread pudding (with a dollop of Chantilly Cream.)

Chantilly Cream

  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoon brandy
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Grand Marnier
  • 3 Tablespoons sour cream
  • 6 Tablespoons sugar

Beat until cream forms soft peaks.

Serve the Bread Pudding topped with warm Lemon Sauce and a dollop of Chantilly Cream.

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SAUCES

HONEY-SESAME SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions 

  1. In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until combined and smooth.
  2. Transfer to a lidded jar.
  3. Refrigerate up to one week until ready to use.
  4. At Sandscrest, Chris shakes the jar vigorously before serving. (Check the lid tightness first!) Sometimes, she tosses just the greens in the dressing and adds other ingredients on top. Salads prepared this way are served immediately. Other times, Chris prepares the entire salad slightly ahead and uses a turkey baster to apply the dressing right before dinner begins.

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MANGO-AVOCADO SALSA

Ingredients

  • 1 large avocado, cubed
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 large mango, cubed
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 2 Tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 salt

Instructions

  1. Combine cubed mango and avocado (both need to be fully ripened) in a medium-sized bowl. Toss gently so that they are mixed but intact.
  2. Add red onion, cilantro, salt and lime juice and lightly toss again – being careful not to mash the avocado.
  3. Refrigerate up to two days, add more lime juice to brighten flavor if desired.

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SOUPS

TUSCAN TOMATO & BEAN SOUP

Ingredients 

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 14-ounce can tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred if available)
  • 1 14-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 parmesan rind
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
  • 5 ounces spinach (fresh or frozen)
  • Red pepper flakes

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions soften – about 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste, basil, oregano and thyme. Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often, until the tomato paste darkens.

Add the tomatoes, beans, broth and the parmesan rind and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook – uncovered — for 10 minutes. Cover the pot and simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Add the cream, grated parmesan and spinach. Cook another 5-10 minutes, stirring often, until the spinach wilts and the cheese is melted. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot, considering extra cheese, red pepper flakes and/or drizzled olive oil as toppings.

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