Chocolate Mint Cookies

Cookies:

• 4 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, in pieces
• 1/2 cup butter, in pieces
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 3/4 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  Icing:
  
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 5-6 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Melt the chocolate and the butter in a double-boiler. Cool to room temperature before using in the recipe. Meanwhile, beat together the sugar and egg. (It helps to do this with an electric mixer, but it's not absolutely necessary.) Add the cream and extract and beat in thoroughly. Stir in the chocolate mix and blend one more time. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add it little by little to the creamed mixture. Make 2-tablespoon-size balls and drop them 2 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake them for about 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Make the mint icing by stirring together all the ingredients except the cream, then adding the cream one tablespoon at a time until it's the desired consistency. Drizzle it onto the cookies in spirals or X's, but don't do this until the cookies are completely cool.