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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Red Velvet Loaf

Red Velvet Loaf

cake· dessert· Valentine's Day
January 31, 2019

Red Velvet Loaf – Ultra-moist red velvet loaf cake topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting Okay I’m taking a break…
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Pumpkin Banana Bread

Pumpkin Banana Bread

bread· cake· dessert· Fall Flavors· Popular Recipes
November 1, 2018

Pumpkin Banana Bread – Ultra-moist banana bread gets even better with the addition of pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice. Man,…
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Tiramisu Cupcakes

Tiramisu Cupcakes

cake· dessert
May 14, 2018

Tiramisu Cupcakes – A mini, easy-to-eat version of the classic Italian dessert. Made with vanilla cupcakes brushed with espresso and…
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Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

cake· dessert· Easter
March 8, 2018

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake – An incredibly moist, streusel coffee cake is loaded with semisweet chocolate chips and a hint…
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Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

cake· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
February 26, 2018

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake – Cheesecake made with vanilla beans and then layered with a vanilla bean white chocolate mousse. The…
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Rum Cake

Rum Cake

cake· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites
February 22, 2018

Rum Cake – A delicious bundt cake made from scratch and then soaked with a butter-rum syrup. Not for the…
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Souffles

Chocolate Peanut Butter Souffles

cake· dessert· Valentine's Day
February 5, 2018

Chocolate Peanut Butter Souffles – Rich chocolate souffles are filled with a creamy peanut butter center to make for an…
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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

styled shot of Turkey Noodle Soup

Turkey Noodle Soup

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

Cinnamon Latte Whoopie Pies

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

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

Holiday Mule

styled shot of Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

close up of slices of cranberry orange loaf on a serving platter

Cranberry Orange Loaf

a slice of chocolate cream pie with a bite out of it on a plate with more pie in the background, shot from the front

Chocolate Cream Pie

The Best Waffles

Honey Wheat Bread Loaves

salted caramel banana cream puffs on a round serving plate with bananas in the background

Salted Caramel Banana Cream Puffs

 

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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