Chocolate biscotti cookies

1. Scoop the creamed wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir well until combined. The dough will be quite stiff- don't use a hand beater to do this, you'll kill it. Use a wooden spoon. Build up your upper body strength.

2. You want a hefty dough that sticks together but is not sticky or wet.

3. If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon of hemp milk at a time to make it behave. (Note- If you've ever made Pamela's gluten-free brownies- this dough is similar in consistency- sturdy and thick.) When the dough holds together if you press it into a mound, it's ready.

4. Dump the mound of dough on to the prepared baking sheet and press with a rubber spatula- or your hands- to make a long log shape. You want a smooth, even surface, and a slightly flattened- but not too flat!- mound to the dough shape (make sure it is uniform and even- and the width and height your want your biscotti to be. Mine was about 4 inches wide and maybe 3 inches high; it will spread slightly when it bakes. (Keep in mind, you'll be slicing the dough crosswise later.)

5. Bake the dough in the center of a preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes- depending upon your individual oven temperature and the actual size of the dough log. The dough should bake up firm and be dry in the center when you insert a cake tester.

6. Take the dough log out of the oven and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes.

7. Set your oven temperature low- 275 to 300 degrees F.

8. You're going to bake these babies twice.

9. When the dough log is cool enough to handle, hold it in place with one hand and a clean tea towel and slice it crosswise- cleanly and carefully!- with a large, very sharp serrated knife. You should end up with twenty biscotti.

10. Lay the biscotti on the parchment and bake them for 10 to 12 minutes or so- keeping an eye on them. You want them to crisp up a bit in the oven, but not burn.

11. Remove the biscotti from the oven and allow them to cool. When they are cool enough to handle, place them carefully on a wire cooling rack. They will crisp up even more as they cool.

12. Wrap the biscotti individually and store the them bagged in the freezer for best results- though you can keep a few on hand in the fridge to eat within a day.