• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Pimento Cheese with Bacon Jam

Pimento Cheese with Bacon Jam

appetizer· dips· Easter· Tailgating Recipes
March 21, 2019

Pimento Cheese with Bacon Jam – Homemade pimento cheese spread is perfectly paired with a tangy, sweet onion bacon jam…
Read More

Classic Cannoli Dip

Classic Cannoli Dip

dessert· dips· snacks
November 27, 2017

Classic Cannoli Dip – A creamy dessert dip made from whipped cannoli filling using real marscapone cheese and served with…
Read More

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip with Pie Crust Chips

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip with Pie Crust Chips

dessert· dips· Fall Flavors· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
October 26, 2017

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip with Pie Crust Chips – Decadent homemade apple pie filling is combined with gooey salted…
Read More

Cowboy Queso

Cowboy Queso

appetizer· dips· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
September 11, 2017

This post has been sponsored by Dr Pepper® and Johnsonville®. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Cowboy Queso –…
Read More

Cobb Salad Dip

Cobb Salad Dip

appetizer· dips· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
July 6, 2017

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SeeHowFreshWorks #CollectiveBias Cobb…
Read More

Roasted Corn Guacamole

Roasted Corn Guacamole

dips· Summertime Favorites
August 4, 2016

Ever since we moved into our new house, we’ve been grilling like crazy. See, we weren’t allowed to have a…
Read More

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2

Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

fall flavors

apple pie egg roll dipping in caramel sauce

Apple Pie Egg Rolls

overhead shot of slices of pear coffee cake

Pear Coffee Cake

autumn kale salad in a blue salad bowl

Autumn Kale Salad

slices of iced pumpkin scones drizzled with frosting on a wire rack on top of parchment paper, shot from overhead

Iced Pumpkin Scones

picture of apple pecan farro salad served on a white plate

Apple Pecan Farro Salad

slice of pistachio loaf on a cutting board with the rest of the loaf in the background

Pistachio Loaf

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

Breakfast
Appetizers
Entrees
Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Roundups
Holidays

Browse by Date

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

holiday favorite

a pie plate of berry crumble pie, shot from overhead

Berry Crumble Pie

overhead shot of slices of pear coffee cake

Pear Coffee Cake

plate of mini ham and cheese quiche with caramelized onions and a plan of quiche in the back

Mini Ham & Cheese Quiche with Caramelized Onions

a whisking bowl with Garlic & Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes with a wooden spoon in it, shot from overhead

Garlic & Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

a slice of victoria sandwich cake with a bite remove and a few crumbs on the plate

Victoria Sandwich Cake

 

There’s something whimsical about a dessert that There’s something whimsical about a dessert that looks like you’ve painted it in black and white, classic, bold, but full of surprises.

When I first created these Black & White Cake Pops, I was playing around with leftover cake crumbs and two glazes (dark chocolate + white chocolate). 

The result? Elegant, crunchy on the outside, cake-soaked inside, with that satisfying first bite where the two tones meet.

They’re the perfect party treat, a nostalgic twist, or just a fun way to make ordinary cake pops feel extraordinary.

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/black-white-cake-pops/
Some of my favorite memories start with the smell Some of my favorite memories start with the smell of coffee swirling through a chilly morning. This Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew was born from one of those mornings, when I had leftover pumpkin cream and too much cold brew not to pair them together.

This isn’t just a seasonal drink, it’s that edgy, cozy twist you crave when autumn meets caffeine: chilled cold brew topped with airy pumpkin-spiced cream that slowly melts in and mingles with every sip. It’s smooth, spiced, and addictive in the best way.

Would you take yours extra creamy or light and dreamy?

Comment COLD BREW and I'll send you  a recipe

#pumpkincreamcoldbrew #coldbrewroutine #pumpkincoffee #fallcoffee #creamycoldbrew
I’ll never forget the first time I bit into a ca I’ll never forget the first time I bit into a cake that tasted like summer itself: the sun-warmed sweetness of strawberries, carried into every crumb. That memory stayed with me until I decided to capture it in cake form.

This Roasted Strawberry Bundt Cake starts with macerating strawberries so their juices deepen, roasting them to intensify flavor, then folding them into a tender, buttery bundt cake that’s bursting with berry brightness. Every slice is soft, moist, and dotted with those roasted ruby surprises.

Comment STRAWBERRY and i'll send you a recipe?

#berrybundtcake 
#roastedstrawberrycake #bundtcakerecipe #summerberries #strawberrydessert #berrybundtcake
The first time I tasted chocolate raspberry mousse The first time I tasted chocolate raspberry mousse, I was at a small café on a rainy afternoon overseas. A spoonful felt like velvet, silky chocolate dancing with tart raspberry, so light it dissolved in your mouth. That memory haunted me until I made it myself.

This Chocolate Raspberry Mousse is my tribute to that moment. Rich dark chocolate, whipped light as air, with a swirl of bright raspberries cutting through the sweetness. Elegant, indulgent, yet surprisingly approachable.

It’s the kind of dessert that feels special, but doesn’t require hours or dozens of ingredients. Sometimes, the most unforgettable dishes are the simplest.

Would you dig into it plain or top it with fresh raspberries & whipped cream?

Comment or DM with a “MOUSSE” and I'll send you a recipe.
#easydesserteasydessert
#chocolateraspberrymousse #raspberrymousse #chocolatemousse #dessertrecipe #easydessert
It all started on a cozy fall evening. I was cravi It all started on a cozy fall evening. I was craving pie + cheesecake, and I couldn’t decide which to make. So I thought: Why not both?

That’s how these Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars came to be. A buttery pecan pie layer rich with toasted pecans and deep caramel, sandwiched over creamy cheesecake, drizzled with chocolate, all baked into a bar you can slice and serve.

Every bite hits: the nutty crunch, the silky cheesecake center, the chocolate swirl that ties it all together. It’s indulgence without the fuss of flipping pies or cutting perfect slices.

Comment “BARS”  and I sent you the link to the recipe. 

#chocolatepecan #piecheesecakebars #dessertbars #pecanpie #cheesecakelove

Copyright © 2025 Certified Pastry Aficionado · Web Design by Viva la Violet