#MEwx Warmer, sunny and the first installment of "Chocolate-covered Weather."

Good morning Augusta

This morning we have sunny skies with a high of 60°F. Winds light and variable.

tonight we'll have clouds and a slight chance for rain showers. Low near 50°F. Winds light and variable.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

The Dew Point is 40.8°F, the humidity is 98%, and the outdoor temp is 41.4°F.

The wind direction is East Northeast between 0.0 MPH and 0.3 MPH.

The Relative pressure is 30.08, the Absolute pressure is 29.88 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun.

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 Kilometers with ground fog and clear skies up there somewhere.

The UV rating is 1 out of 16, Sunrise is 6:42 A.M., Sunset is 6:10 P.M., Moonrise is 3:21 A.M. and Moonset is at 5:17 P.M. The moon phase is waning crescent being 9% Illuminated.

We didn't receive any rain here over the past 24 hours.

For the next few days I'm going to be posting a "Chocolate-covered weather report" series of recipes.  You might as well get used to desserts to satisfy everyone from little ghosts and goblins to North Pole dwellers.

Chocolate Streusel Poundcake

  MELISSA CLARK

YIELD8 to 10 servings

TIME2 hours, plus cooling

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

In this stunning dessert, a moist and soft chocolate poundcake is topped on two sides — bottom and top — with crunchy, slightly salty streusel flecked with chocolate chips. The combination of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate gives this cake a particularly rich flavor. You can make it up to 3 days ahead. Store it at room temperature, well wrapped in foil. Then serve it topped with ice cream or whipped cream and fresh berries, or toasted and buttered, or plain as it is. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.

Ingredients:

·         ½ cup/60 grams all-purpose flour

·         3 tablespoons/45 grams granulated sugar

·         1 ½ tablespoons/11 grams cocoa powder

·         ½ teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt

·         4 ½ tablespoons/64 grams cold unsalted butter, cubed

• ⅓ ½ cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons/45 grams granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons/11 grams cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt
• 4 ½ tablespoons/64 grams cold unsalted butter, cubed
• ⅓ ½ cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons/45 grams granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons/11 grams cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt
• 4 ½ tablespoons/64 grams cold unsalted butter, cubed
• ⅓ Cup chocolate chips

For the Poundcake

3 ounces/85 grams extra-bittersweet chocolate (70 percent), chopped

1 ⅓ cups/185 grams all-purpose flour

¾ cup/89 grams Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon/2 grams baking powder

¼ teaspoon/2 grams baking soda

½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, melted

1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

½ cup/100 grams dark brown sugar

½ teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 teaspoons/10 milliliters vanilla extract

½ cup/120 milliliters plain Greek yogurt

½ cup/120 milliliters whole milk

PREPARATION

1.         Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, then line with parchment paper, leaving enough to hang over the edges of the pan. Grease the parchment on the bottom of the loaf pan.

2.         In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate for the cake, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool while you prepare the streusel.

3.         Prepare the streusel: In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Using fingers or a fork, cut in the butter until it is evenly distributed and forms large, moist crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4.         Scatter half the streusel evenly into the bottom of the loaf pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until baked through.

5.         Prepare the cake: In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.

6.         In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat melted butter, both sugars and salt together until combined. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, yogurt, milk and melted chocolate. Fold in dry ingredients until just combined.

7.         Scrape batter into prepared pan and top with remaining streusel. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake emerges clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool completely before turning out and slicing.