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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins

Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins

breakfast· cake· dessert· Easter· muffins
March 29, 2024

Bakery-style Chocolate Chip Muffins – Sky-high muffins are loaded with mini chocolate chips, a perfect round dome on top, and…
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Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes

Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes

cake· dessert· Holiday Favorites· Uncategorized· Valentine's Day
March 5, 2024

Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes – Rich chocolate cupcakes are filled with homemade chocolate pudding and topped with fudge icing and cake…
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Strawberry Tres Leches

Strawberry Tres Leches

cake· dessert· Easter· Valentine's Day
February 19, 2024

Strawberry Tres Leches – Vanilla cake is soaked with strawberry milk and topped with fresh strawberries and freshly whipped cream….
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Chocolate Mousse Cake

Chocolate Mousse Cake

cake· dessert
January 24, 2024

Chocolate Mousse Cake – Rich chocolate cake is topped with homemade chocolate mousse and chocolate ganache to make for a…
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Cherry Almond Pastry Cake

Cherry Almond Pastry Cake

cake· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter· Holiday Favorites· pastries
October 16, 2023

Cherry Almond Pastry Cake – Cherry almond cream is rolled into puff pastry and formed into a cake and baked…
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Apple Cider Bundt Cake

Apple Cider Bundt Cake

cake
September 22, 2023

Apple Cider Bundt Cake – A perfectly spiced Bundt cake sweetened with apple cider Pumpkin tends to steal the show…
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My Favorite Pumpkin Loaf

My Favorite Pumpkin Loaf

bread· cake· dessert· Fall Flavors
September 11, 2023

My Favorite Pumpkin Loaf – The most moist, perfectly spiced pumpkin loaf. I make this every year and freeze extra…
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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

slice of pistachio loaf on a cutting board with the rest of the loaf in the background

Pistachio Loaf

styled shot of pumpkin snickerdoodles

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

overhead shot of spiced carrots on a bed of whipped feta dip

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

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

Cranberry Apple Sangria

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

Cinnamon Apple Kolaches

overhead shot of quinoa harvest salad on a plate

Quinoa Harvest Salad

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holiday favorite

casserole dish of Cheesy Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Cheesy Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

zoomed in shot of a plate of stacked chocolate gingerbread truffles with one with a bite out of it, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles

two stemmed glasses of Cranberry Orange Aperol Spritz with orange slices and rosemary sprigs with cramberries rosemary and half an orange on the table underneath, shot from the front

Cranberry Orange Aperol Spritz

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

a purple plate with 4 churro waffles

Churro Waffles

 

Double Chocolate Biscotti – Chocolate cookies ar 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/
Classic Fruit Tarts – Rich vanilla pastry cream Classic Fruit Tarts – Rich vanilla pastry cream is filled into a buttery mini tart shell and covered with fresh fruit.

I decided to share a recipe that is (1) perfect to serve during the holidays and (2) absolutely gorgeous to look at. And with that, I present to you my Classic Fruit Tarts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/classic-fruit-tarts/
Rosemary Cheese Straws – The Southern cheese str Rosemary Cheese Straws – The Southern cheese straw is flavored with fresh rosemary to give them a sophisticated feel.

I am a snacker, through and through. Before meeting my husband and living together, my meals were not planned out and mostly consisted of a lot of small snacks throughout the day. 

Over time, I learned it’s very hard to coordinate meals and get togethers with others when I’m not super hungry so I learned to adapt. But in my core, I am still a snack lover!

Today’s recipe is my newest snack obsession – Rosemary Cheese Straws

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/rosemary-cheese-straws/
Split Buns with Cream and Jam – soft, enriched y Split Buns with Cream and Jam – soft, enriched yeast buns split and filled with fresh whipped cream and raspberry jam, then dusted with powdered sugar!

Once again, The Great British Baking Show has led me to a new treat I'd never heard of but was completely entranced by! Devonshire split buns are a popular British treat made with soft baked buns filled with cream and jam, and honestly? I'm obsessed! 

What I love about these buns is how they feel like eating a sweet sandwich – imagine a jam sandwich but in a long bun with whipped cream! Doesn't that make you drool?

The great news is they're super easy to make! With a simple enriched dough recipe and store-bought jam, you can have these buns ready in just a couple of hours! The dough took me some time to develop because I wanted them soft like hot dog buns (but obviously sweeter!), not dense and heavy!

Pro tip: DO NOT slice all the way through! Leave the bottom connected so the buns hold the filling well! Use piping bags with tips to fill neatly – it makes them look bakery-quality!

Perfect for breakfast, dessert, holiday gatherings, brunch, or anytime you want a soft, indulgent treat! 

💬 Comment "SPLITBUNS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for baking inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves buns!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/split-buns-with-cream-and-jam/
Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini – crispy baguette sli Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini – crispy baguette slices rubbed with fresh garlic, spread with rosemary honey goat cheese, and topped with fig preserves! 

This particular crostini was born when I had leftover fig preserves to use up! And let me tell you – this combination is INCREDIBLE! Every single bite is perfectly balanced – crispy, tangy, sweet, spicy, and creamy all at once! My guests absolutely cannot stop at just one!

The magic is in the rosemary honey goat cheese spread – that's where all the flavor comes from! The fresh rosemary pairs SO beautifully with the sweet fig preserves!
Pro tip: Do NOT assemble these until you're ready to serve! 

The bread will get soggy if you make them ahead! BUT you can toast the bread and make the goat cheese spread ahead of time for quick assembly!

Perfect for holiday parties, entertaining guests, or anytime you need an impressive appetizer that's seriously easy to make! 🎉

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

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