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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Strawberry Peach Sangria

Strawberry Peach Sangria

drinks· Easter· Popular Recipes· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
May 27, 2019

Strawberry Peach Sangria – Fresh strawberries and peaches are added to white white, brandy, and lemon lime soda to make…
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Cookies & Cream Macarons

Cookies & Cream Macarons

Cookies· dessert· Popular Recipes
May 20, 2019

Cookies & Cream Macarons – A classic French cookie, with a cookies & cream twist. Made from a classic French macarons…
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Asparagus Risotto

Asparagus Risotto

Easter· Popular Recipes· sides
May 6, 2019

Asparagus Risotto – Creamy, cheesy homemade risotto is taken up a notch with the addition of crispy asparagus  Risotto is…
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Pistachio Macarons

Pistachio Macarons

Cookies· dessert· Popular Recipes
March 4, 2019

Pistachio Macarons – Nutty, fancy little French macarons made with freshly chopped pistachios and filled with an homemade pistachio buttercream…
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Easy Banana Cake

Easy Banana Cake

cake· dessert· Easter· Popular Recipes
February 28, 2019

Easy Banana Cake – A moist, dense banana sheet cake topped with homemade cream cheese frosting.  Cake, cake, cake, cake,…
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Pumpkin Banana Bread

Pumpkin Banana Bread

bread· cake· dessert· Fall Flavors· Popular Recipes
November 1, 2018

Pumpkin Banana Bread – Ultra-moist banana bread gets even better with the addition of pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice. Man,…
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Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Cookies· dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· Popular Recipes
September 6, 2018

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies – Vanilla frosting is sandwiched between two chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies to make the perfect spiced…
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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 Smashed Sweet Potatoes with cheese being shredded over them

Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Butter

angled view of cup of dirt pudding

Cup of Dirt Pudding

slice of carrot snack cake on a pink plate

Carrot Snack Cake

styled shot of a stack of chocolate pecan pie cheesecake bars

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

overhead shot of cheddar crusted apple pie with lattice crust

Cheddar Crusted Apple Pie

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

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

close up of a piece of chocolate hzelnut toffee with chopped hazelnuts sitting beside it

Chocolate Hazelnut Toffee

puff pastry filled with chicken a la king

Chicken a la King

styled shot of Sweet Yeast Rolls on a plate with a bowl of Whipped Pumpkin Butter and a basket of rolls and a pumpkin in the background, shot from a side angle

Sweet Yeast Rolls with Whipped Pumpkin Butter

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

Cinnamon Roll Doughnuts

close up of raspberries & cream profiterole sitting on a white plate

Raspberries & Cream Profiteroles

 

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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