Chocolate Shortbread Hollywood Stars Recipe

Directions:

1. Make cookies: In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cocoa and mix on low speed until just combined.
2. Form dough into ball and flatten into disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic, until firm, at least 1 hour.
3. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch-thick round and cut out cookies with 2-inch star-shaped cutter. Place on baking sheets, spacing 1/2 inch apart. If desired, reroll scraps and cut out more cookies.
5. Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until slightly firm to touch, about 15 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
6. Make filling and sandwich cookies: In medium bowl, mix together Mascarpone and confectioners' sugar until well blended.
7. Turn 1 cookie upside-down and spread with 1 teaspoon filling. Top with a second cookie, right-side up. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.
8. Decorate: In medium bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon of egg white. Mix until consistency is very smooth. Pour icing into pastry bag fitted with #1 round tip. Pipe decorative design onto cookies. Let icing dry completely (about 1 hour, depending on humidity) before storing cookies.