PREPARATIONS

• Chop the chocolate into coarse pieces.
• Melt the butter for the cookie dough in a pot or microwave.
• Bring the butter for the frosting to room temperature.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In another medium bowl, combine the brown and white sugar. Add the melted butter and whisk until creamy.
3. Add one whole egg and one egg yolk, whisking until the mixture becomes thick.
4. Next, add the dry ingredients from the other bowl and mix slightly, then add the chocolate and combine until no flour is visible. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Form the dough into 8 equal-sized balls and place them in a container that fits in the fridge. Chill the cookie dough balls for at least 2 hours. If you want to prepare the dough ahead, you can refrigerate it for up to 48 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (top/bottom heat). Once the oven is hot, place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 8 minutes.
7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool for 15 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the strawberry frosting: Beat room-temperature butter with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until pale yellow and fluffy. Add cream cheese and mix again. Then, add powdered sugar and mix for another 1-2 minutes until creamy.
9. Grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or a powerful food processor. Add the strawberry powder to the frosting and mix until it turns a lovely pink color.
10. Once the cookies have cooled and are no longer warm, spread 1 tablespoon of strawberry frosting evenly on each cookie.
11. Optionally, sprinkle with some melted chocolate and crushed freeze-dried strawberries.