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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Easy Ham & Cheese Pastry Rolls

Easy Ham & Cheese Pastry Rolls

breakfast· Easter· pastries
December 30, 2021

Easy Ham & Cheese Pastry Rolls – Puff pastry is layered with Dijon mustard, ham, and cheddar cheese, rolled and…
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Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach

Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach

Cookies· dessert· Holiday Favorites· pastries
December 20, 2021

Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach – Pastry is rolled with a cinnamon raisin filling and then baked until crispy on top and…
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Split Buns with Cream and Jam

Split Buns with Cream and Jam

bread· breakfast· dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Holiday Favorites· pastries
December 17, 2021

Split Buns with Cream and Jam – Soft, enriched buns are split in half and stuffed with raspberry jam and…
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Shortcut Apple Strudel

Shortcut Apple Strudel

Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· pastries
December 2, 2021

Shortcut Apple Strudel – Sliced cinnamon Granny Smith apples and golden raisins are wrapped in layers in premade filo dough…
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Pull Apart Loaf

Pumpkin Cinnamon Pull Apart Loaf

bread· breakfast· dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· pastries
October 22, 2021

Pumpkin Cinnamon Pull Apart Loaf – Pumpkin spiced dough is covered in a cinnamon brown sugar, cut into squares, and…
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Brioche au Chocolat

Brioche au Chocolat

bread· breakfast· doughnuts and sweet rolls· pastries
August 30, 2021

Brioche au Chocolat– Buttery brioche dough is stuffed with chocolate and baked until beautifully golden brown Brioche is one of…
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Raspberries & Cream Profiteroles

Raspberries & Cream Profiteroles

dessert· Holiday Favorites· pastries· Valentine's Day
June 17, 2021

Raspberries & Cream Profiteroles – Cream puffs are topped with a crispy brown sugar topping and filled with a raspberry…
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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

apple cinnamon charlotte sitting on a plate with cinnamon sabayon sliced in half to reveal the apples in the center

Apple Cinnamon Charlotte

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

Pistachio Loaf

overhead shot of slices of pear coffee cake

Pear Coffee Cake

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

Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons

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

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Candied Pecans

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holiday favorite

close up of a split bun with cream & jam

Split Buns with Cream and Jam

zoomed in shot of orange-scented madelines on a white plate

Orange-Scented Madeleines

a hand holding a cinnamon roll doughnut showing off the glazed topping

Cinnamon Roll Doughnuts

Candied Pecans

a casserole dish of Berries & Cream Stuffed French Toast Casserole on top of a cloth napkin with a bowl of mixed berries next to it, shot from overhead

Berries & Cream Stuffed French Toast Casserole

 

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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