holiday favorite

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

Roasted Strawberry Bundt Cake

a hand holding up a maple molasses cookie to show all the detailed cracks in the top of the cookie

Maple Molasses Cookies

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

Baileys Cheesecake Brownie Bites

cranberry lime mojitos with cranberries and slices of lime

Cranberry Lime Mojitos

a glass dish with pumpkin cinnamon rolls in it with some missing from the center and a spatula with a pumpkin the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

overhead shot of a basket of bakery style blueberry muffins

Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins

breakfast· muffins
August 1, 2022

Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins – Tall blueberry muffins with a crisp sugar coating on top. Happy back to school week! If you live in the Southeast, chances are your kids are going back to school this week. Getting the kids up for school might be tough and leave little time for a long breakfast. So I have these Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins…
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spoonful of red velvet cake ice cream shot closeup

Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream

cake· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month
July 29, 2022

Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream – Creamy vanilla ice cream is swirled with real red velvet cake pieces and cream cheese icing And just like that, National Ice Cream Month is coming to an end. I cannot believe the end of summer is upon us. School starts on Monday! Ahhh! But before we worry about that, let us enjoy one…
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side photo of oreo layered ice cream cake to show off the layers

Oreo Layered Ice Cream Cake

cake· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month
July 26, 2022

Oreo Layered Ice Cream Cake – Vanilla ice cream is layered with Heath bar pieces, Oreo crumbs, caramel sauce, and hot fudge to make the most decadent ice cream cake you’ve ever had. In the final week of National Ice Cream Month, it only seems right to make one of my favorite ice cream desserts of all time. This dessert…
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bowl of orange sherbet with orange garnish and orange in the foreground

Orange Sherbet

ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
July 14, 2022

Orange Sherbet – Freshly squeezed orange juice is added to a cream base along with some vanilla extract and then frozen to make a creamy, dreamy orange sherbet. There’s just something about orange sherbet that it super refreshing. Not only can it cool you down on these hot days, but the flavor itself is so balanced that it sends a…
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close up of salted caramel macchiato sundae to show all the layers of the sundae

Salted Caramel Macchiato Sundae

ice cream· National Ice Cream Month
July 11, 2022

collage of salted caramel macchiato sundae photos with descriptive text

photo of three scoops of raspberry doughnut ice cream in a white bowl

Raspberry Jelly Doughnut Ice Cream

ice cream· National Ice Cream Month
July 7, 2022

Raspberry Jelly Doughnut Ice Cream – Doughnut-infused ice cream swirled with raspberry sauce and sprinkled with doughnut pieces Ice cream month is well underway, people! And with the record-setting heat indexes we’ve been feeling, thank goodness we have an excuse to eat cold treats. Today’s recipe is a fun one. It’s a homemade ice cream infused with doughnuts and swirled…
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two sugar cones filled with pistachio ice cream sitting upright in a cone

Pistachio Ice Cream

ice cream· National Ice Cream Month
July 4, 2022

Pistachio Ice Cream – Real pistachios are ground and mixed into an ice cream base to make a nutty, creamy treat that will satisfy all taste buds Happy 4th of July! And also happy beginning of National Ice Cream Month! July marks a whole month of frozen treats here at CPA. Today we begin with one of my favorite ice…
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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

a stack of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and individual cookies on a sheet pan with chocolate chips around them and a stack of pumpkins in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

styled shot of Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

pint glass of pumpkin cream cold brew coffee with a metal straw

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

Maple Pecan Scones

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

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

Cranberry Apple Sangria

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Classic Pot Roast – chuck roast slowly cooked in Classic Pot Roast – chuck roast slowly cooked in a jus made of beef broth, carrots, celery, and onions! Balsamic vinegar, thyme, and mustard give that jus a kick of flavor! 

Cold weather is in full effect, you guys! So comfort food needs to be on the menu! My husband wanted to try a good pot roast, so I used a combination of recipes to come up with the perfect one! 

The secret? Traditional aromatics (carrots, celery, onions) PLUS balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard set this roast apart with a tangy kick!

Pro tip: Sear the roast first to give it beautiful color on the outside – if you skip this step, the meat will look almost gray when cooked in the broth!

💬 Comment "POTROAST" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for comfort meals
📤 SHARE with someone who loves pot roast!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/classic-pot-roast/
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter – Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter – fluffy pillows of sweet potato dumplings tossed in a sage and browned butter sauce for a comforting pasta dish you didn't know you needed! 

This gnocchi was inspired by a dish I had at a local restaurant years ago, you guys! I was skeptical about sweet potato gnocchi with just butter and sage – no cream? no tomato? But MAN, was I wrong! 

The sweet potato gnocchi is even MORE flavorful than the original! It shines on its own with little help from a heavy sauce – that's why it pairs so perfectly with a light toss in sage and browned butter!

Pro tip: Use a potato ricer to break up the sweet potatoes – don't use a food processor or it will make the gnocchi gummy and pasty! The ricer makes it super fluffy!

Perfect for fall dinners, Thanksgiving, date nights, or anytime you want restaurant-quality comfort food at home! 

💬 Comment "GNOCCHI" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for fall cooking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves pasta!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/sweet-potato-gnocchi-with-sage-browned-butter/
Sour Cream Doughnuts – dense and crispy on the o Sour Cream Doughnuts – dense and crispy on the outside, moist and cakey on the inside! Your favorite old-fashioned cake doughnuts ready in half the time as yeast doughnuts!

These are also known as old-fashioned doughnuts, you guys! They're bulky, firm on the outside, but oh-so-moist on the inside! The BEST combination of textures – crunchy yet chewy, dense yet moist! 

I fell in love with these at a local bakery, and now my husband surprises me with them from time to time! Do I have a great man or what?!

Pro tip: Don't roll the dough too thin or the doughnuts will turn to hockey pucks when you fry them! You're better off making the dough too thick than too thin!

Perfect for weekend breakfast, Easter morning, brunch, or anytime you want homemade doughnuts without the wait! 

💬 Comment "DOUGHNUTS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for weekend baking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves doughnuts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/sour-cream-doughnuts
Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – tortillas stuffed wi Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken, covered in a creamy poblano sauce and cheese, then baked until creamy perfection! 

I'm more of a green enchiladas fan than red, you guys! While this sauce isn't traditional green enchilada sauce, it's got similar flavor notes! Plus, with the added milk, it's super creamy and decadent! 

The secret? A roux makes the sauce ultra creamy without needing tons of heavy cream!

Pro tip: Don't skip the lime juice! It's KEY to balancing out the flavors – this is NOT an optional ingredient!

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, dinner parties, family dinners, or anytime you want creamy enchiladas! 🎉

💬 Comment "POBLANO" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for Cinco de Mayo
📤 SHARE with someone who loves enchiladas!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/creamy-poblano-enchiladas/
Beef Empanadas – flaky pie dough filled with cum Beef Empanadas – flaky pie dough filled with cumin-spiced beef and tomato mixture!

These are perfect for Cinco de Mayo, you guys! Small party-perfect size (makes about 20!) with super flavorful filling that's NOT spicy – everyone will love them! 😍

Made with my classic pie dough for the flakiest crust, then filled with seasoned beef, onions, and tomatoes!

Pro tip: Make sure to chill the dough before rolling it out – this lets it rest and firm up so it gets nice and flaky while baking!

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo parties, game day, meal prep, or anytime you want delicious hand-held snacks!

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

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/beef-empanadas

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