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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Caramel Swirl Meringues

Caramel Swirl Meringues

candy· Cookies· Easter· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
April 18, 2022

Caramel Swirl Meringues – Freshly whipped meringues are swirled with caramel sauce and then baked until perfectly crisp on the…
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Birthday Cake Pops

Birthday Cake Pops

cake· candy· dessert
February 10, 2022

Birthday Cake Pops – Confetti cake pops are covered in white chocolate and sprinkles to make for a cute birthday…
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Chocolate Hazelnut Toffee

Chocolate Hazelnut Toffee

candy· dessert· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
November 30, 2021

Chocolate Hazelnut Toffee – Butter and sugar are cooked to make a yummy toffee and then mixed with chopped hazelnuts…
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Candied Pecans

Candied Pecans

candy· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· snacks
September 28, 2020

Candied Pecans – Pecans are coated in cinnamon sugar and then baked until crispy A couple months ago, I was…
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Chocolate Pecan Turtle Bars

Chocolate Pecan Turtle Bars

bars and brownies· candy· dessert· snacks
September 7, 2020

Chocolate Pecan Turtle Bars – Pecan short bread is layered with pecan halves, homemade caramel, and smooth milk chocolate to…
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Black & White Cake Pops

Black & White Cake Pops

cake· candy· dessert
May 29, 2020

Black & White Cake Pops – Chocolate and vanilla cake are mashed together and dipped in white chocolate to make…
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Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles

Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles

candy· dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
December 16, 2019

Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles – Easy chocolate truffles are mixed with ground ginger and ground cinnamon and then rolled in ground…
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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

vinaigrette dressing being poured over a plate of Orchard Harvest Salad (Panera Copycat) from a glass bottle with a half and whole pair and cherry preserves in the background, shot from a side angle

Orchard Harvest Salad (Panera Copycat)

styled shot of Salted Caramel Apple Pie Parfaits with a pan of pie and a can of whipped cream behind it

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Parfaits

overhead shot of partially eaten baked carrot cake oatmeal in casserole dish with serving spoon

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

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

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

apple cinnamon monkey bread with a chunk out of it and sliced apples in front, shot from a side angle

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

close up angle of pumpkin cinnamon roll pancakes stacked on a white plate

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

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holiday favorite

styled shot of Monster Cookies

Monster Cookies

a White Chocolate Cream Puff cut in half with the filling showing and a plate of cream puffs in the background and white chocolate chips around it, shot from a side angle

White Chocolate Cream Puffs

close up of caramel swirl meringue on a baking sheet

Caramel Swirl Meringues

Maple Pecan Scones

two bowls of goat cheese sweet corn grits with a spoon in it on a cotton napkin with corn cobs next to it, shot from overhead

Goat Cheese & Sweet Corn Grits

 

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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