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1
Cream together the butter and sugar for 5 minutes.
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2
Add the cocoa and flour and mix together well until it combines.
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3
Allow to rest for 1 hour, covered in plastic.
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4
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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5
With a rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness and with a cookie cutter shaped like a football, cut the dough into footballs.
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6
Place on parchment paper on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
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7
Turn the sheet and bake another 5 minutes.
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8
Allow to cool.
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9
Mix together the mascarpone and 2 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar until well blended.
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10
Spread a little of this mixture on 1 football and top with a second football to make a sandwich.
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11
Continue spreading the mixture until all cookies are used.
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12
To make the royal icing, combine the 1 cup of confectioners' sugar with the egg white.
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13
Mix until the consistency is very smooth.
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14
Pour icing into a piping bag fitted with a round #1 tip.
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15
Pipe a football lace design on the cookies.
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16
Let dry.
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17
*RAW EGG WARNING
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18
Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness.
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19
To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.
