holiday favorite

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

a casserole dish of Berries & Cream Stuffed French Toast Casserole on top of a cloth napkin with a bowl of mixed berries next to it, shot from overhead

Berries & Cream Stuffed French Toast Casserole

close up of chocolate coquito with a dollop of whipped cream on top and a dust of cinnamon and cocoa powder

Chocolate Coquito

close up of two brown sugar cinnamon cookie bars stacked on top of each other

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

picture of fried goat cheese balls stacked on an appetizer plate with honey drizzling over the top

Fried Goat Cheese Balls

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

plate of coconut cream cake on it's side with a fork next to it and coconut sprinkled around it, shot from a side angle

Coconut Cream Cake

cake· dessert· Easter· Summertime Favorites
February 20, 2020

Coconut Cream Cake – White cake with a hint of coconut, layered with homemade coconut cream on the inside, and finished with a coconut cream cheese frosting on the outside. Today’s recipe comes from a reader request. I love hearing from you all and was thrilled to see a note in my inbox from one of you requesting a cake…
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a walnut brownie cookie cut in half on top of more cookies with walnuts and chocolate chips spread around, shot from a side angle

Walnut Brownie Cookies

Cookies· dessert
February 17, 2020

Walnut Brownie Cookies – Chewy double-chocolate cookies loaded with walnuts and chocolate chips Valentine’s Day may be behind us but that doesn’t mean I have to lay off the chocolate recipes. No sir. In fact, I’m doubling tripling down on the chocolate this week and bringing you a cookie with three kinds of chocolate – cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and…
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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

dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
February 10, 2020

Classic Tiramisu – Lady fingers are dipped in coffee and layered with whipped mascarpone to make a classic version of this Italian dessert. My birthday is this week! Woohoo! Luckily, I’m not yet jaded by my birthday so I get just as excited to celebrate a new year of life now as I would 10 years ago. But now, the…
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fingers holding a chocolate berry fritter with a wire rack with more fritters and mixed berries surrounding them, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Berry Fritters

doughnuts and sweet rolls· Holiday Favorites· pastries· Valentine's Day
February 3, 2020

Chocolate Berry Fritters – Chocolate yeast donuts are loaded with three kinds of berries and then covered in sweet icing.  And the chocolate desserts keep on coming! Today’s recipe is my third chocolate recipe in a row so I’m officially on a roll. I need to make sure you guys have plenty of options as VDay approaches! A couple weeks…
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Triple Chocolate Skillet Cookie in a cast iron pan with a spoon in the center and a scoop of ice cream on top of a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Triple Chocolate Skillet Cookie

Cookies· dessert· Valentine's Day
January 27, 2020

Triple Chocolate Skillet Cookie – Chocolate cookie dough is loaded with chocolate chips, baked in a cast-iron skillet, and then topped with chocolate ice cream and served while the cookie is still warm.  Ooooh chocolate. I cannot get enough of it. I am starting to think it’s no accident that I was born in February, the month that celebrates chocolate…
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plate of a slice of chocolate raspberry cake roll with a fork and a platter with a whole raspberry on it, shot from overhead

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Roll

cake· dessert· Valentine's Day
January 20, 2020

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Roll – Chocolate cake is spread with raspberry buttercream and rolled up into a beautiful cake roll I tried to make it all month without baking anything sweet but I just couldn’t do it. Three weeks isn’t bad, though!! I finally broke with this cake roll. It’s just the treat for your Valentine’s Day baking needs, thanks…
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sliced turkey apple melts in a container lined with parchment paper, shot from overhead

Turkey Apple Melt

sandwiches & wraps
January 13, 2020

Turkey Apple Melt – A classic turkey melt is taken up a notch with the addition of granny smith apples and a homemade Dijon honey mustard.  Sandwiches get a bad rap. They’re pushed to the side and treaty like a “lazy” option. But the truth is, sometimes I just want a comforting, classic meal that I can eat between two pieces…
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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

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

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

Holiday Mule

a stack of three pumpkin oatmeal cream pies on cotton napkins with a platter behind it with more pies in the background, shot from the front

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Cinnamon Latte Whoopie Pies

Candied Pecans

closeup of mini pumpkin doughnut muffins with one with a bite out of it

Mini Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

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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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