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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Beignets

Beignets

breakfast· dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter· Holiday Favorites
February 28, 2022

Beignets – Traditional New Orleans fried dough covered in powdered sugar and served fresh from the fryer. These chewy, yet…
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Cheese Danish

Cheese Danish

breakfast· dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· pastries
August 27, 2020

Cheese Danish – Sweet yeast dough is filled with cinnamon and sugar and then twisted into a round danish filled…
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Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

bread· breakfast· dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· pastries
September 16, 2019

 Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread – Fluffy balls of dough are stuffed with cinnamon apples, layered together in a Bundt pan,…
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Homemade Bagels

Homemade Bagels

bread· breakfast
April 23, 2018

Homemade Bagels – The chewiest homemade bagels you’ll ever make, with the perfect crispy, shiny shell on the outside. You…
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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 cinnamon stick being dipped into a mug of mulled wine with another mug of mulled wine and a glass dish of mulled spices in the background, shot from a side angle

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

photo of cinnamon apple kolaches with granny smith apples in the background

Cinnamon Apple Kolaches

zoomed in shot of Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes, shot from a side angle

Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

picture of apple pecan farro salad served on a white plate

Apple Pecan Farro Salad

autumn kale salad in a blue salad bowl

Autumn Kale Salad

front shot of sweet potato cornbread in a cast iron skillet

Sweet Potato Cornbread

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

Apple Pie Cake

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

Holiday Mule

shortcut apple strudel on a marble serving platter cut down the middle to expose the apple center with vanilla ice cream on top and a fork in the foreground

Shortcut Apple Strudel

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

Garlic & Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

 

Grilled Egg & Cheese Sandwich– Creamy scrambled eg Grilled Egg & Cheese Sandwich– Creamy scrambled eggs are topped with colby jack cheese and chives and then sandwiched in between two slices of buttery toasted brioche.

For today’s recipe, I take egg & cheese sandwiches to another level. I put those two ingredients in between slices of buttery, toasted brioche and sprinkle them with chives. It gives of grilled cheese vibes, so I call this my Grilled Egg & Cheese Sandwich.

RECIPE: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/grilled-egg-cheese-sandwich/?
Cannoli Cones – An easy way to make a homemade can Cannoli Cones – An easy way to make a homemade cannoli without the hassle of frying cannoli shells. Made with sugar ice cream cones which are stuffed with homemade cannoli cream and dipped in your favorite cannoli toppings. 

Recipe: http://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/cannoli-cones/
Fried Onion Petals – Sweet onion is sliced into pe Fried Onion Petals – Sweet onion is sliced into petals, seasoned, and fried until perfectly crispy. Served with homemade horseradish sauce.

The inspiration for this snack comes from the Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse. Making a whole onion seems so intimidating so I never thought to make it at home. But then the thought came to me – why not fried them in little petals instead? They’re also easier to dip than onion rings.

Without further ado, here are the Fried Onion Petals: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/fried-onion-petals/
Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken – Chicken breasts are Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken – Chicken breasts are stuffed with a garlic herb goat cheese and pan fried until they are cooked through. These are perfect for fun, yet easy weeknight dinner.

Recipe: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/goat-cheese-stuffed-chicken/
Double Chocolate Biscotti – Chocolate cookies are Double Chocolate Biscotti – Chocolate cookies are loaded with chocolate chips and baked twice to make them extra crispy and perfect for dunking into your favorite hot beverage.

Biscotti is the dessert I never knew I needed. I discovered them in college when I craved a snack while studying for finals. I bought a biscotti at the library coffee shop and dunked it in my coffee. The cookie that I thought was too crunchy suddenly turn soft and chewy. Yum!

Those memories inspired me to make my own biscotti. First, I made these gingerbread biscotti. And then I made this pistachio version. Now, I’m recreating the biscotti I first had many years ago – Double Chocolate Biscotti.

RECIPE: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/double-chocolate-biscotti/

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