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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Mojito Sorbet

Mojito Sorbet

ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
July 9, 2020

Mojito Sorbet – Refreshing sorbet made with mint syrup, fresh lime juice, and a hint of rum And the ice…
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Milk & Cookies Ice Cream

Milk & Cookies Ice Cream

dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
July 6, 2020

Milk & Cookies Ice Cream – Cookie-soaked vanilla ice cream is loaded with chunks of Oreos and chocolate chip cookies….
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Cinnamon Swirl Chocolate Ice Cream

Cinnamon Swirl Chocolate Ice Cream

dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
July 2, 2020

Cinnamon Swirl Chocolate Ice Cream – Homemade chocolate ice cream is swirled with a homemade cinnamon syrup and loaded with…
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Dublin Mudslide Ice Cream

Dublin Mudslide Ice Cream

dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
March 9, 2020

Dublin Mudslide Ice Cream – Rich Irish cream coffee ice cream is swirled with espresso fudge and Oreo chunks to…
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Chocolate Covered Strawberry Sundae

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Sundae

dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month
July 29, 2019

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Sundae – Strawberry ice cream is covered with roasted strawberries and a homemade chocolate shell and garnished…
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Lemon Blueberry Frozen Yogurt

Lemon Blueberry Frozen Yogurt

ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
July 22, 2019

Lemon Blueberry Frozen Yogurt – Homemade frozen yogurt with a hint of lemon and swirls of blueberry sauce Rarely has…
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S’mores Sundae

S’mores Sundae

ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
July 15, 2019

S’mores Sundae – Vanilla ice cream is topped with all the making of classic s’mores – graham cracker pieces, hot…
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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

warm banana bread with a couple bites removed sitting on a plate with two scoops on butter pecan ice cream stacked on top and caramelized bananas over the top and a spoon on the side

Banana Bread Sundae

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

Sage & Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

a plate of pie crust chips with a bowl of Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip on it and a jar of caramel behind it, shot from a side angle

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip with Pie Crust Chips

close up of apple pie slide doughnut sitting on a tray with other doughnuts

Apple Pie Slider Doughnuts

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

Pistachio Loaf

a hand holding up a cinnamon bun soft pretzel

Cinnamon Bun Soft Pretzels

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

a plate of BLT benedicts on a cloth napkin with half a lemon in the background, shot from a side angle

BLT Benedict

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

strawberry brioche bun on a gray table

Strawberry Brioche Buns

zoomed in shot of a plate of sliced classic tiramisu with a glass dish of tiramisu in the background, shot from the front

Classic Tiramisu

side shot of banana bread doughnuts on a purple plate with more doughnuts in the background

Banana Bread Doughnuts

 

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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