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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Raspberry Lime Macaron Sandwich

Raspberry Lime Macaron Sandwich

Cookies· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
June 19, 2023

Raspberry Lime Macaron Sandwich – Large, pink macaron shells are filled with fresh lime curd and whole raspberries and sandwiched…
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Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

cake· dessert· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
May 19, 2023

Texas Sheet Cake – A thin, chocolate sheet cake with a layer of chocolate icing on top. The ratio of…
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Carrot Snack Cake

Carrot Snack Cake

cake· dessert· Easter· Fall Flavors
April 6, 2023

Carrot Snack Cake – A square single-layer carrot cake is topped with a homemade cream cheese and sprinkled with chopped…
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Mixed Berry Fool

Mixed Berry Fool

dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
April 3, 2023

Mixed Berry Fool – A no-bake dessert made from sweetened smashed berries folded into fresh sweetened whipped cream. Easter is…
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Cookie Dough Flautas

Cookie Dough Flautas

dessert· snacks· Valentine's Day
March 27, 2023

Cookie Dough Flautas – Flour tortillas are stuffed with cookie dough, wrapped into a fluted shape and then air fried…
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Lemon Blueberry Shortcakes

Lemon Blueberry Shortcakes

biscuits· breakfast· dessert· Easter· pastries
March 12, 2023

Lemon Blueberry Shortcakes – Buttery shortcakes are cut in half and topped with freshly whipped cream and sweetened blueberries in…
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Banana Fritters

Banana Fritters

dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter· Holiday Favorites· pastries
March 6, 2023

Banana Fritters – Chopped banana is added to a cakey batter and then fried into little balls. They are finished…
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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 baking sheet with banana bread granola and a whole banana on it, shot from a side angle

Banana Bread Granola

pint glass of pumpkin cream cold brew coffee with a metal straw

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

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

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

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

slices of iced pumpkin scones drizzled with frosting on a wire rack on top of parchment paper, shot from overhead

Iced Pumpkin Scones

plate of Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons with a gourd in the background, shot from the front

Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

plate of stack of pistachio pancakes with a bite of them on a fork with pistachios sprinkled around on a cloth napkin, shot from overhead

Pistachio Pancakes

angled shot of french almond cakes sitting on a white plate

French Almond Cakes (Financiers)

zoomed in shot of a Rum Cake surrounded with raspberries on top of a cloth napkin, shot from the front

Rum Cake

strawberry brioche bun on a gray table

Strawberry Brioche Buns

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

 

Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken te Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken tenders topped with fresh baby arugula, a squeeze of lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cheese in a soft hoagie bun! 

I tried this sandwich at a restaurant and fell so deeply in love that I HAD to recreate it at home, you guys! It was so SIMPLE yet so INCREDIBLE! 😍

The best part? It tastes fresh and light despite being a fried piece of chicken! The secret is all in the fresh toppings – the baby arugula, bright lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cut through the richness of the fried chicken perfectly!

The biggest step is pounding and frying the chicken tenders, but don't worry – I use a shallow pool of oil instead of deep frying, which makes it SO much simpler at home! Just flatten the chicken evenly so it cooks through and gets super crispy!

Pro tip: Make sure to use the lemon! Fried food can taste rich and heavy, and the lemon juice is exactly what the chicken needs to lighten it up and add freshness!
Perfect for lunch, dinner, weeknight meals, or anytime you want a gourmet sandwich at home! 🥪

💬 Comment "SCHNITZEL" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for sandwich inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves sandwiches!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/schnitzel-sub-sandwich/
Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake with a generous layer of fudgy chocolate icing on top! The ratio of cake to icing is absolute PERFECTION! 

Chocolate cake has been hit or miss for me my whole life, you guys! Either it's dry or bland or not chocolatey enough! But this Texas Sheet Cake? BY FAR my favorite chocolate cake of all time! 

It's perfectly moist, FULL of chocolate flavor, and that icing on top just sets it into overdrive! After one bite, I simply cannot stop eating!

The secret to this incredible cake is the right ratio of icing to cake and placing the icing on the cake while it's HOT! This seals in all the moisture and makes it absolutely DIVINE!

Pro tip: Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead of classic unsweetened – the chocolate flavor is way more potent! Plus, this cake bakes in under 20 minutes, so it's perfect for last-minute cravings!

Perfect for potlucks, parties, crowd feeding, or anytime you need to satisfy those chocolate cravings! 

💬 Comment "TEXASCAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for chocolate emergencies
📤 SHARE with someone who loves chocolate!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/texas-sheet-cake/
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaig Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette – crispy roasted Brussels sprouts tossed in a tangy, sweet honey mustard vinaigrette! 

If you had told me 5 years ago that I'd be posting a brussels sprouts recipe on this blog, I wouldn't have believed you, you guys! All I knew about them was that they were a stinky vegetable nobody liked!

Then all of a sudden, brussels sprouts were on EVERY menu at EVERY restaurant I visited! I was shocked! So when my girlfriends ordered a large side to share at dinner, I decided to try them – and I was CONVERTED! 😍

They were roasted until crispy, coated in a honey mustard vinaigrette that was tangy, crispy, and sweet! Now I'm sharing MY version so you can convert brussels sprout haters too!

Pro tip: Toss the brussels sprouts in the vinaigrette while they're still hot so they absorb all those amazing flavors!

Perfect for holiday dinners, dinner parties or anytime you need a delicious side dish! 

💬 Comment "SPROUTS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for entertaining
📤 SHARE with a brussels sprout hater!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/roasted-brussel-sprouts-with-honey-mustard-vinaigrette/
Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – ground beef seasoned wi Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – ground beef seasoned with mustard and Worcestershire, stuffed with American cheese and pickles, all wrapped in a crispy wonton wrapper! Served with a tangy burger sauce for dipping! 

Frying foods is not always my favorite thing to do, you guys! But when I decide to, it's gotta be worth it! And these cheeseburger egg rolls are TOTALLY worth it! You just can't get the same crisp on the wonton wrapper in the oven or air fryer!

The filling is just like a classic cheeseburger – ground beef, American cheese, a pickle, and just a hint of mustard! And the burger sauce with ketchup, mustard, and relish rounds out those classic burger flavors!

Pro tip: Drain the beef extremely well! Any excess oil will put holes in the wonton wrapper while it's frying!

Perfect for appetizers, game day, parties, tailgating, or anytime you want cheeseburger flavor in a crispy, fun package! 🍟

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

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/cheeseburger-egg-rolls/
Coconut Tres Leches – a tropical twist on the cl Coconut Tres Leches – a tropical twist on the classic! Spongy cake soaked in three milks (including coconut cream instead of heavy cream!) and topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut! 

Despite my Hispanic heritage, tres leches is something I only started loving in my 20s, you guys! And when I did? I was almost ANGRY I had waited so long to try it!

I love taking classic recipes and giving them unique twists! For this one, I replaced the heavy cream with coconut cream and topped it with toasted coconut – because I LOVE coconut cream cake! The result? The best of both worlds – all the tres leches flavor with all the coconut goodness!

Pro tip: Make this cake a day in advance and let it sit overnight! Tres leches gets BETTER over time, and it makes a world of difference!

One of the best desserts I've made in a while – seriously, your mind will be blown with every bite! 

💬 Comment "TRESLECHES" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for dessert inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves coconut!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/coconut-tres-leches/

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