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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Nutella Cream Pie

Nutella Cream Pie

dessert· Holiday Favorites· pie· Valentine's Day
December 5, 2023

Nutella Cream Pie – This no-bake pie is made with Nutella, cream cheese, and whipped topping and then filled in…
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Apple Pie Egg Rolls

Apple Pie Egg Rolls

dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Fall Flavors· pie
September 26, 2023

Apple Pie Egg Rolls – Cinnamon apples are rolled into an egg roll wrapper with a little cream cheese and…
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Cheddar Crusted Apple Pie

Cheddar Crusted Apple Pie

Fall Flavors· pie
October 4, 2022

Cheddar Crusted Apple Pie – A classic apple pie filling is loaded into a buttery cheddar cheese crust with a…
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

dessert· pie
June 20, 2022

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie – A no-bake pie made of fluffy peanut butter cream cheese filling topped with milk chocolate…
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Portuguese Egg Tarts

Portuguese Egg Tarts

dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites· pie
June 15, 2021

Portuguese Egg Tarts – Crispy tart shells filled with a thick egg custard that makes for a subtle sweet treat…
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Mixed Berry Almond Tart

Mixed Berry Almond Tart

dessert· Holiday Favorites· pie· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
May 17, 2021

Mixed Berry Almond Tart – A baked tart made from buttery pie crust, frangipane almond filling and berries sprinkled throughout…
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Apple Pie Cake

Apple Pie Cake

cake· dessert· Easter· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· pie
November 2, 2020

Apple Pie Cake – Half pie, half cake, lots of delicious apples. During this pandemic, many have chosen to spend…
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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

photo of two glasses of sangria with the pitcher in the background

Cranberry Apple Sangria

stacked maple walnut cookies on a red orange napkin and one cookie with a bite removed

Maple Walnut Cookies

styled shot of pumpkin snickerdoodles

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

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

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

a hand holding up a cinnamon bun soft pretzel

Cinnamon Bun Soft Pretzels

two copper mugs filled with holiday mule drinks and a pitcher in the background

Holiday Mule

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holiday favorite

overhead zoomed in shot of cranberry cookies with white chocolate drizzle

Cranberry Cookies with White Chocolate Drizzle

front shot of sweet potato cornbread in a cast iron skillet

Sweet Potato Cornbread

close up of slice of roasted strawberry bundt cake taken from the side to show the inside of the slice

Roasted Strawberry Bundt Cake

zoomed in shot of a plate of sliced classic tiramisu with a glass dish of tiramisu in the background, shot from the front

Classic Tiramisu

close up of beignets stacked on a plate, covered in powdered sugar

Beignets

 

Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken te Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken tenders topped with fresh baby arugula, a squeeze of lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cheese in a soft hoagie bun! 

I tried this sandwich at a restaurant and fell so deeply in love that I HAD to recreate it at home, you guys! It was so SIMPLE yet so INCREDIBLE! 😍

The best part? It tastes fresh and light despite being a fried piece of chicken! The secret is all in the fresh toppings – the baby arugula, bright lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cut through the richness of the fried chicken perfectly!

The biggest step is pounding and frying the chicken tenders, but don't worry – I use a shallow pool of oil instead of deep frying, which makes it SO much simpler at home! Just flatten the chicken evenly so it cooks through and gets super crispy!

Pro tip: Make sure to use the lemon! Fried food can taste rich and heavy, and the lemon juice is exactly what the chicken needs to lighten it up and add freshness!
Perfect for lunch, dinner, weeknight meals, or anytime you want a gourmet sandwich at home! 🥪

💬 Comment "SCHNITZEL" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for sandwich inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves sandwiches!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/schnitzel-sub-sandwich/
Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake with a generous layer of fudgy chocolate icing on top! The ratio of cake to icing is absolute PERFECTION! 

Chocolate cake has been hit or miss for me my whole life, you guys! Either it's dry or bland or not chocolatey enough! But this Texas Sheet Cake? BY FAR my favorite chocolate cake of all time! 

It's perfectly moist, FULL of chocolate flavor, and that icing on top just sets it into overdrive! After one bite, I simply cannot stop eating!

The secret to this incredible cake is the right ratio of icing to cake and placing the icing on the cake while it's HOT! This seals in all the moisture and makes it absolutely DIVINE!

Pro tip: Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead of classic unsweetened – the chocolate flavor is way more potent! Plus, this cake bakes in under 20 minutes, so it's perfect for last-minute cravings!

Perfect for potlucks, parties, crowd feeding, or anytime you need to satisfy those chocolate cravings! 

💬 Comment "TEXASCAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for chocolate emergencies
📤 SHARE with someone who loves chocolate!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/texas-sheet-cake/
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaig Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette – crispy roasted Brussels sprouts tossed in a tangy, sweet honey mustard vinaigrette! 

If you had told me 5 years ago that I'd be posting a brussels sprouts recipe on this blog, I wouldn't have believed you, you guys! All I knew about them was that they were a stinky vegetable nobody liked!

Then all of a sudden, brussels sprouts were on EVERY menu at EVERY restaurant I visited! I was shocked! So when my girlfriends ordered a large side to share at dinner, I decided to try them – and I was CONVERTED! 😍

They were roasted until crispy, coated in a honey mustard vinaigrette that was tangy, crispy, and sweet! Now I'm sharing MY version so you can convert brussels sprout haters too!

Pro tip: Toss the brussels sprouts in the vinaigrette while they're still hot so they absorb all those amazing flavors!

Perfect for holiday dinners, dinner parties or anytime you need a delicious side dish! 

💬 Comment "SPROUTS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for entertaining
📤 SHARE with a brussels sprout hater!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/roasted-brussel-sprouts-with-honey-mustard-vinaigrette/
Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – ground beef seasoned wi Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – ground beef seasoned with mustard and Worcestershire, stuffed with American cheese and pickles, all wrapped in a crispy wonton wrapper! Served with a tangy burger sauce for dipping! 

Frying foods is not always my favorite thing to do, you guys! But when I decide to, it's gotta be worth it! And these cheeseburger egg rolls are TOTALLY worth it! You just can't get the same crisp on the wonton wrapper in the oven or air fryer!

The filling is just like a classic cheeseburger – ground beef, American cheese, a pickle, and just a hint of mustard! And the burger sauce with ketchup, mustard, and relish rounds out those classic burger flavors!

Pro tip: Drain the beef extremely well! Any excess oil will put holes in the wonton wrapper while it's frying!

Perfect for appetizers, game day, parties, tailgating, or anytime you want cheeseburger flavor in a crispy, fun package! 🍟

💬 Comment "EGGROLLS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for party planning
📤 SHARE with someone who loves burgers!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/cheeseburger-egg-rolls/
Coconut Tres Leches – a tropical twist on the cl Coconut Tres Leches – a tropical twist on the classic! Spongy cake soaked in three milks (including coconut cream instead of heavy cream!) and topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut! 

Despite my Hispanic heritage, tres leches is something I only started loving in my 20s, you guys! And when I did? I was almost ANGRY I had waited so long to try it!

I love taking classic recipes and giving them unique twists! For this one, I replaced the heavy cream with coconut cream and topped it with toasted coconut – because I LOVE coconut cream cake! The result? The best of both worlds – all the tres leches flavor with all the coconut goodness!

Pro tip: Make this cake a day in advance and let it sit overnight! Tres leches gets BETTER over time, and it makes a world of difference!

One of the best desserts I've made in a while – seriously, your mind will be blown with every bite! 

💬 Comment "TRESLECHES" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for dessert inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves coconut!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/coconut-tres-leches/

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