“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” This quote from Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar suggests that it is not fate or destiny that drives humans to their actions but rather the conditions under which we all struggle and sometimes thrive. In writing and directing two productions of Dr. Biscotti & the Human Condition, I sought the most direct, profound, and thorough theatrical expression of the complexities of the human condition and a possible example of how these challenges can be overcome. We hope that through your empathic lens, you engage with these characters and find their stories engaging and thought-provoking.
Playwright/Director, Lisa Soland
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI
· 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
· 1 1/4 cups sugar
· 2 eggs (Plus the egg white from a 3rd egg used to brush on top)
· 1 teaspoon vanilla
· 2 cups flour
· 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
· 3/4 teaspoon salt
· 1 1/3 cups (salted or unsalted, up to you) macadamia, almond, or cashew nuts, roughly chopped
· 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, chopped
· ¼ cup of white chocolate chips to either drizzle on top or dip along the edge of the finished biscotti.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and cream the butter and sugar with a blender.
Add the 2 eggs and vanilla while scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add the flour, one cup at a time, and then add cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Make sure it is well-blended. (I recommend using fresh cocoa powder.)
Roughly chop your choice of nuts and bittersweet chocolate chips. Add the nuts and chocolate, and stir. Use a very large bowl to avoid a terrible mess.
Using flour to dust your counter space and hands, form your dough into a large loaf and brush the top with whisked egg white. Place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper to keep your loaf from sticking to the cookie sheet. Bake for about 22 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove from oven and allow the biscotti to cool completely.
Once cool, cut into 3/4 inch diagonal slices with a serrated, very sharp knife, place on the baking sheet on its side, and bake for 8-10 minutes on each side. (If you want the biscotti to be chewier and less dry, bake only once on one side.)
Let cool, and heat about 1/4 cup of chocolate chips with a tablespoon of canola oil and melt in the microwave on high for about a minute. Drizzle on top of the biscotti, or dunk half the biscotti in melted chocolate. Let the chocolate harden, and then enjoy!
