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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach

Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach

Cookies· dessert· Holiday Favorites· pastries
December 20, 2021

Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach – Pastry is rolled with a cinnamon raisin filling and then baked until crispy on top and…
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Split Buns with Cream and Jam

Split Buns with Cream and Jam

bread· breakfast· dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Holiday Favorites· pastries
December 17, 2021

Split Buns with Cream and Jam – Soft, enriched buns are split in half and stuffed with raspberry jam and…
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Cranberry Orange Loaf

Cranberry Orange Loaf

cake· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites
December 13, 2021

Cranberry Orange Loaf – A sweet bread flavored with fresh orange zest and loaded with cranberries. Topped with a sweet…
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Amaretto Baba Cake

Amaretto Baba Cake

cake· Easter· Holiday Favorites
December 9, 2021

Amaretto Baba Cake – A yeasted cake with dried cherries that is soaked in amaretto syrup The holidays call for…
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Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini

Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini

appetizer· Holiday Favorites
December 6, 2021

collage of photos of fig and goat cheese crostini with descriptive text

Shortcut Apple Strudel

Shortcut Apple Strudel

Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· pastries
December 2, 2021

Shortcut Apple Strudel – Sliced cinnamon Granny Smith apples and golden raisins are wrapped in layers in premade filo dough…
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Chocolate Hazelnut Toffee

Chocolate Hazelnut Toffee

candy· dessert· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
November 30, 2021

Chocolate Hazelnut Toffee – Butter and sugar are cooked to make a yummy toffee and then mixed with chopped hazelnuts…
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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

zoomed in shot of chocolate snickerdoodles on parchment paper with a spoon in front, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

styled shot of of Salted Caramel Ice Cream in a glass dish with an ice cream scooper with sugar cones and a full ice cream cone next to it and a jar and spoon of caramel sauce

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

apple cinnamon monkey bread with a chunk out of it and sliced apples in front, shot from a side angle

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

side shot of banana bread doughnuts on a purple plate with more doughnuts in the background

Banana Bread Doughnuts

close up of a slice of pumpkin crumb cake separated from the rest of the cake but not on a plate yet

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

a bowl of Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce with a spoon in it and a bowl of brown sugar with a spoon in it on a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

a slice of chocolate pecan pie on a plate with another plate of pie in the background, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Pecan Pie

bailey cheesecake brownie bites on a dessert plate with one missing a bite to expose the creamy center

Baileys Cheesecake Brownie Bites

angled shot of french almond cakes sitting on a white plate

French Almond Cakes (Financiers)

zoomed in shot of portuguese egg tarts sitting on a plate

Portuguese Egg Tarts

side shot of banana bread doughnuts on a purple plate with more doughnuts in the background

Banana Bread Doughnuts

 

There’s just something about warm, soft pretzels There’s just something about warm, soft pretzels that feels like pure comfort, especially when there’s beer cheese involved.

I still remember the first time I made homemade pretzel bites. The smell that filled my kitchen was unreal, buttery, toasty, and a little sweet. Then came the beer cheese dip… creamy, tangy, with just the right amount of sharp cheddar bite.

It instantly took me back to lazy weekend afternoons spent at my favorite pub, where every appetizer came with a story and a side of laughter.

If you’ve never made pretzel bites at home before, don’t worry, they’re easier than you think, and the results are so worth it. 

Warm, golden bites + rich beer cheese = the snack you’ll want on repeat all fall long. 🍂

Comment “PRETZEL” and I'll send you a recipe.

#pretzelbites #beercheesedip #appetizerrecipes #homemadepretzels #snackideas
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

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