Stareos

Sift the flour, salt & cocoa powder together
set aside. Combine butter & 1/2 c. sugar in bowl of mixer & mix on low until blended, about 15 seconds. Add dry ingredients & continue mixing on low speed for 3-5 minutes, until ingredients form a dough Put dough on a lightly floured board & roll to a thickness of 1/4". With a 2" star-shape cookie cutter, cut 36 cookies. Scraps can be rerolled once. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, & put cookies on them. Cookies should not touch but can be close together because they do not spread in baking. Put baking sheets in freezer 1 hour, stacking if necessary. Preheat oven to 250. Bake cookies 1 hour, until firm. Remove from oven & allow to cool completely on baking sheet, at least 2 hours, before filling. Combine mascarpone, 1 Tb. sugar & vanilla in a bowl. Spread about a Tb. of filling on the bottom sides of 18 cookies. Top each with another cookie to make a sandwich.