1. Prepare the Dough:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
• In a food processor, combine the butter, caster sugar, and egg yolk. Blend until well combined and creamy.
• Add sifted flour and cocoa powder to the processor. Blend until the mixture starts to come together in a ball of dough.
• Divide the dough into two portions and flatten each into a disc. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to chill.

2. Roll and Cut the Dough:

• Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator. Roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch (6mm) thickness.
• Use a small circular cookie cutter to cut out cookies from the dough, placing them on the prepared baking trays.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, until firm but not too browned. Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat the process with the second disc of dough.

3. Make the Peppermint Cream:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the sifted powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and hot water until it forms a smooth, spreadable paste.
• Taste the cream and adjust the peppermint extract as needed. Be cautious, as too much peppermint may make the cookies taste overly minty.
• Spread the peppermint cream over each cooled cookie and allow it to set before proceeding to the next step.

4. Dip in Chocolate:

• Line a wire rack with parchment paper to catch any drips.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Once melted, remove from heat.
• Dip each cookie into the melted chocolate, ensuring they are fully coated. Place the cookies back on the wire rack and let the chocolate set.

5. Serve:

• Once the chocolate has fully set, your peppermint cream cookies are ready to enjoy!