Local Resident Shares Award-Winning Ghirardelli Recipe

A Round Lake woman recently won the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship at the DuPage County Fair—and she wants to share her recipe with you.

Caitlin Jones of Round Lake made Mini Chocolate-Filled Croissants, a recipe that took home the Blue Ribbon. She won a $150 cash prize, along with a chocolate gift basket.

Her mom won second place in the Chocolate Contest.

Want to try her recipe? Here it is:

Mini Chocolate Filled Croissants

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 cups lukewarm milk (120 – 130 degrees F)

2 1/2 teaspoons sugar, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, if salted omit 1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons water

1. To the bowl of a large mixer add the yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and warmed milk. Let sit for 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining sugar, salt and three cups of flour (using remaining flour for rolling).
2. Using the dough hook on low, stir until mixed. Increase speed to high continue to beat until dough pulls away from the sides of bowl. Cover and let rise until double in bulk (1 to 1 1/2 hours).
3. Turn out onto lightly floured surface, knead until smooth. Wrap in parchment or wax paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4. Place each stick of butter between two sheets of parchment or wax paper. Slightly flatten each stick until it measures approximately 6 x 4-inch (can be done with rolling pin). Put butter back in refrigerator until ready for next step.
5. On floured surface roll dough into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Place the dough so the short end is facing you. Lay butter across the center of the dough. Fold the top over the middle and bottom over the top. Turn dough over so seam is facing down.
6. Roll dough into another 12 x 8-inch rectangle, being careful to not squeeze out any of the butter. Place second stick of butter in the center of the dough and repeat folding instructions. Wrap and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
7. Repeat the rolling, folding and refrigerating two more times.
8. Dough can be refrigerated overnight at the end of the third rolling. Roll dough into a rectangle about 12 x 6-inches and about 1/8-inch thick, trimming the sides to make a clean rectangle.
9. Cut the dough in half, lengthwise. With the long side of the dough facing you, cut each half into 12 triangles.
10. Place approximately ten Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips on the long end of the triangle.
11. With long side facing you, roll the triangle and shape like a crescent (point of the roll should be between the two ends). Cover and let rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (can be refrigerated overnight and baked the next day).
12. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the croissants with the egg was glaze (egg beaten with water). Bake for 2 minutes, lower heat to 375 degrees F and continue baking for 8 to 10 more minutes.

Yields: 24 croissants.

—Submitted by The Blue Ribbon Group.