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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Jelly Roll French Toast

Jelly Roll French Toast

breakfast· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter
April 14, 2023

Jelly Roll French Toast – Pieces of white bread rolled with raspberry jam, dipped in an egg custard, grilled, and…
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Blueberry Mojito

Blueberry Mojito

drinks· Easter· Summertime Favorites
April 9, 2023

Blueberry Mojito – Crushed mint and blueberries are mixed together with rum, sugar, and lime juice and then served over…
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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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Raspberry Toaster Strudel Copycat

Raspberry Toaster Strudel Copycat

breakfast· Easter· pastries· snacks· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
March 20, 2023

Raspberry Toaster Strudel Copycat – Store bought puff pastry is filling with raspberry jam, baked, and then finished with a…
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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

zoomed in shot of cut up apple cider caramels

Apple Cider Caramels

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

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

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 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

a slice of peach upside down cake on a white plate with the rest of the cake in the background

Peach Upside-down Cake

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

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

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photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

close up of a serving bowl with sage and brown butter mashed sweet potatoes

Sage & Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

cranberry lime mojitos with cranberries and slices of lime

Cranberry Lime Mojitos

close up of chocolate coquito with a dollop of whipped cream on top and a dust of cinnamon and cocoa powder

Chocolate Coquito

a slice of cinnamon swirl doughnut bread with a fork cutting it in with the other half of the bread next to it on a piece of parchment paper and a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Cinnamon Swirl Doughnut Loaf

Apple Pie Cake

 

Nutella Macarons – delicate French almond cookie Nutella Macarons – delicate French almond cookies filled with chocolate-hazelnut Nutella spread! Classic macarons made with the proper technique learned straight from a pastry chef! 

You guys remember when I made French macarons for the first time and they were a HOT MESS? The tops were cracked and bumpy and looked more like brownies! I was determined to get them right, so I took a macaron baking class in person – and it changed EVERYTHING! 

The trickiest part? Mixing the dry and wet ingredients together. Under mix = too dry and cracked. Over mix = dense and heavy. But now I know exactly what the batter should look like!

Pro tip: Age your egg whites for 24-48 hours before making the meringue – this helps them get to the perfect consistency!

Perfect for Valentine's Day, gift-giving, special occasions, or anytime you want elegant French macarons at home! 🇫🇷

💬 Comment "NUTELLAMACARON" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for French cookie inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves macarons!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/nutella-macarons/
Classic Pot Roast – chuck roast slowly cooked in Classic Pot Roast – chuck roast slowly cooked in a jus made of beef broth, carrots, celery, and onions! Balsamic vinegar, thyme, and mustard give that jus a kick of flavor! 

Cold weather is in full effect, you guys! So comfort food needs to be on the menu! My husband wanted to try a good pot roast, so I used a combination of recipes to come up with the perfect one! 

The secret? Traditional aromatics (carrots, celery, onions) PLUS balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard set this roast apart with a tangy kick!

Pro tip: Sear the roast first to give it beautiful color on the outside – if you skip this step, the meat will look almost gray when cooked in the broth!

💬 Comment "POTROAST" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for comfort meals
📤 SHARE with someone who loves pot roast!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/classic-pot-roast/
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter – Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter – fluffy pillows of sweet potato dumplings tossed in a sage and browned butter sauce for a comforting pasta dish you didn't know you needed! 

This gnocchi was inspired by a dish I had at a local restaurant years ago, you guys! I was skeptical about sweet potato gnocchi with just butter and sage – no cream? no tomato? But MAN, was I wrong! 

The sweet potato gnocchi is even MORE flavorful than the original! It shines on its own with little help from a heavy sauce – that's why it pairs so perfectly with a light toss in sage and browned butter!

Pro tip: Use a potato ricer to break up the sweet potatoes – don't use a food processor or it will make the gnocchi gummy and pasty! The ricer makes it super fluffy!

Perfect for fall dinners, Thanksgiving, date nights, or anytime you want restaurant-quality comfort food at home! 

💬 Comment "GNOCCHI" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for fall cooking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves pasta!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/sweet-potato-gnocchi-with-sage-browned-butter/
Sour Cream Doughnuts – dense and crispy on the o Sour Cream Doughnuts – dense and crispy on the outside, moist and cakey on the inside! Your favorite old-fashioned cake doughnuts ready in half the time as yeast doughnuts!

These are also known as old-fashioned doughnuts, you guys! They're bulky, firm on the outside, but oh-so-moist on the inside! The BEST combination of textures – crunchy yet chewy, dense yet moist! 

I fell in love with these at a local bakery, and now my husband surprises me with them from time to time! Do I have a great man or what?!

Pro tip: Don't roll the dough too thin or the doughnuts will turn to hockey pucks when you fry them! You're better off making the dough too thick than too thin!

Perfect for weekend breakfast, Easter morning, brunch, or anytime you want homemade doughnuts without the wait! 

💬 Comment "DOUGHNUTS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for weekend baking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves doughnuts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/sour-cream-doughnuts
Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – tortillas stuffed wi Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken, covered in a creamy poblano sauce and cheese, then baked until creamy perfection! 

I'm more of a green enchiladas fan than red, you guys! While this sauce isn't traditional green enchilada sauce, it's got similar flavor notes! Plus, with the added milk, it's super creamy and decadent! 

The secret? A roux makes the sauce ultra creamy without needing tons of heavy cream!

Pro tip: Don't skip the lime juice! It's KEY to balancing out the flavors – this is NOT an optional ingredient!

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, dinner parties, family dinners, or anytime you want creamy enchiladas! 🎉

💬 Comment "POBLANO" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for Cinco de Mayo
📤 SHARE with someone who loves enchiladas!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/creamy-poblano-enchiladas/

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