Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

(or why CJ married me.)

I adapted this from a recipe I found God knows where -- Very Best Baking, most likely.
I love it with butter but they can be VERY crumbly after a day or two. Shortening will make them have body longer, but shortening is kind of a sin amongst certain crowds.

Choco Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) Semi-Sweet (or bittersweet or dark) chocolate chips
3/4 cup pecans (or walnuts or whatever's leftover in your freezer) - optional

Directions:
preheat oven to 350º F.

combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a
large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time,
beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Stir in chunks. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set
but still soft. Cool at least 2 minutes before stuffing them in your mouth.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Don't remember where I found this recipe, but after making it I quite enjoyed it. Definitely best at room temp or warm.

**

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Adapted from Gourmet, February 2000

Topping:
1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored
3/4 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

Batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 tablespoons dark rum for sprinkling over cake

Special equipment: a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
If you lack a cast-iron skillet of this size, make the caramel
in a small pot and scrape it into the bottom of a similarly-sized cake pan.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make topping: Cut pineapple crosswise into 3/8-inch-thick pieces.
Melt butter in skillet. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat,
stirring, 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Arrange pineapple
on top of sugar mixture in concentric circles, overlapping pieces slightly.

Make batter: Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until
light and fluffy, then gradually beat in granulated sugar.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in vanilla and rum. Add half of flour mixture and beat
on low speed just until blended. Beat in pineapple juice,
then add remaining flour mixture, beating just until blended.
(Batter may appear slightly curdled.)

Spoon batter over pineapple topping and spread evenly.
Bake cake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes
out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cake stand in skillet 5 minutes.
Invert a plate over skillet and invert cake onto plate
(keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together).
Replace any pineapple stuck to bottom of skillet.
Sprinkle rum over cake and cool on plate on a rack.

Serve cake just warm or at room temperature.

Cake may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Bring to room temperature before serving.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

After seeing this on practically every blog mentionable, I thought I'd give them a go. They are lovely and dense and perfectly balanced.

**

Black-Bottom Cupcakes
The Great Book of Chocolate, David Lebovitz

Yield: 12 full-size or approximately 30 mini cupcakes

For the filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, regular or reduced fat, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

For the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup unflavored vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the filling: Beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the chopped chocolate pieces. Set aside.

Make the cupcakes:
1. Adjust the rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 12-cup muffin tin, or line the tin with paper muffin cups.
2. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, stirring until just smooth. Stir any longer and you will over mix the batter and end up with less-than-tender cupcakes.
4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Spoon a few tablespoons of the filling into the center of each cupcake, dividing the filling evenly. This will fill the cups almost completely, which is fine.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown and the cupcakes feel springy when gently pressed. These moist treats will keep well unrefrigerated for 2 to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

CJ liked them cold from the fridge. I found them a bit dry and thick to eat that way, but to each their own.
A must do again dessert.