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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

The Best Recipes for Homegating

The Best Recipes for Homegating

appetizer· round-up· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
September 27, 2018

Homegating – a gathering of friends and family to watch sports at someone’s home. I’ve been a fan of homegating…
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The Best Cookie Recipes!

The Best Cookie Recipes!

Cookies· round-up
August 2, 2018

A collection of incredible cookie recipes and cookie-inspired recipes from Certified Pastry Aficionado over the years One of my favorite…
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Best Recipes of 2017

Best Recipes of 2017

round-up
December 28, 2017

And just like that, another year is coming to an end. This year was definitely one of my most creative,…
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72 Incredible Ways to Celebrate Spring

72 Incredible Ways to Celebrate Spring

round-up
May 5, 2017

Surprise! I usually only give you guys a couple posts a week. But this week, we’re celebrating Spring in the…
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30 Irresistible Springtime Sweets

30 Irresistible Springtime Sweets

Easter· round-up
April 6, 2017

Easter is next week, people! Next. Week. Are you panicking yet?? Have no fear! I am here to help you…
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Best Recipes of 2016

Best Recipes of 2016

round-up
December 27, 2016

Man, what a year! 2016 sure has been a memorable one, that’s for sure. As you remember, I started this…
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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

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

Iced Pumpkin Scones

overhead shot of Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin in a baking dish

Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin

zoomed in shot of a plate of stacked chocolate gingerbread truffles with one with a bite out of it, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles

three Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting on a platter with two cupcakes on a pedestal on top of cotton napkin with whole pecans sprinkled around, shot from a side angle

Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

a baking sheet with banana bread granola and a whole banana on it, shot from a side angle

Banana Bread Granola

chicken and biscuits in a dutch oven overhead shot

Chicken and Dumplings

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photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

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

a plate with stacked strawberry white chocolate eclairs, shot from the front

Strawberry White Chocolate Eclairs

a plate with an Almond Croissant on it with a baking sheet of more croissants on it with almonds sprinkled around the table, shot from a side angle

Almond Croissants

Gingerbread Biscotti on parchment paper

Gingerbread Biscotti

a bowl of Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce with a spoon in it and a bowl of brown sugar with a spoon in it on a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce

 

Okay, story time! Over the holidays, we finally go Okay, story time! Over the holidays, we finally got to visit Gideon's Bakehouse in Orlando, you know, the legendary bakery with the nearly HALF-POUND cookies that everyone raves about? The ones with 2+ hour wait times?

They had a virtual queue going, so we shopped around until it was our turn (thank goodness!). I grabbed a few of their famous cookies, including one that immediately caught my eye: the Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookie. 

I'm obsessed with banana and chocolate together, so this was a no-brainer!

And OH MY GOSH. It was even better than I imagined! Not only was it loaded with chocolate and real banana flavor, but it had candied walnuts throughout for this sweet-salty crunch. INCREDIBLE! 

The biggest bummer? You can ONLY get them in Orlando, no online ordering, no shipping. So of course, I decided to recreate them at home! And you guys... I think I got pretty darn close!

What makes these cookies special:
🍌 Real Banana Flavor: Mashed banana (not artificial!) gives them that authentic banana bread taste
🥜 Candied Walnuts: This is KEY—they stay crunchy and add that sweet-salty element
🍫 Double Chocolate: Regular AND large chocolate chips for maximum chocolatey goodness
🍪 Thick & Chewy: Chilling the dough keeps them beautifully thick

Want to make your own Gideon's-inspired cookies at home? 💌 Comment 'BANANA' below and I'll send you the link!

Have you been to Gideon's? What's your favorite cookie flavor? 👇
#BananaCookies #ChocolateChipCookies #GideonsBakehouse #OrlandoBakery #BakeryStyleCookies #BananaChocolateChip #HomemadeCookies #CookieRecipe #BakingFromScratch #CopycatRecipes
I used to love cooking, but during busy weeks it f I used to love cooking, but during busy weeks it felt like a chore. I was too exhausted after work to make anything fun. But with all that time at home, I was able to rethink our favorite foods and make them more achievable for weeknights.

I'd always loved mojo pork (that Cuban citrus-marinated pork that's SO flavorful), but I never made it because traditional pork loin takes FOREVER to roast. But then I had a lightbulb moment: What if I used pork TENDERLOIN instead? 

We eat it all the time because it's lean, quick-cooking, and my husband can grill it in under 30 minutes. Why not marinate it in mojo?

Here's what makes this recipe a weeknight winner:
🍊 The Marinade: Orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and oregano create that classic Cuban flavor. Just dump everything in a bag and let it work its magic!
⏰ The Timeline: Marinate for 4-24 hours (I usually do overnight), then it's only 25 minutes of active cooking time. Quick sear + oven = done!
🍽️ The Versatility: Serve it with rice and beans, make tacos, top a salad, use for Cuban sandwiches, or meal prep it for the week!

Three critical tips:
-DRY the pork after marinating: This is SO important! Pat it completely dry before searing or you'll steam it instead of getting a beautiful crust
-Use a meat thermometer: Pull it at 145°F for perfectly juicy pork every time. No guessing, no cutting it open repeatedly
-Don't over-marinate: 24 hours max or the texture gets mushy!

This has become one of our absolute go-to meals. It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but it's secretly SO easy!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'MOJO' below and I'll send you the link!

#MojoPork #PorkTenderloin #CubanFood #WeeknghtDinner #EasyDinner #DinnerIdeas #MarinadeRecipe #HealthyDinner #MealPrepIdeas #QuickDinner
Can we talk about how guava and cream cheese is TH Can we talk about how guava and cream cheese is THE most underrated flavor combination ever?! 

Growing up, guava was always around. My dad would spread it on toast with butter every morning, and I did the same. But it wasn't until I had guava with cream cheese at a Latin bakery in Florida that I truly appreciated this tropical fruit. 

The cream cheese perfectly balances the tangy guava jelly and makes everything ultra creamy. Wrapped in flaky puff pastry? KILLER.

I know this pastry braid looks super fancy and complicated, but here's the secret: IT'S SHOCKINGLY SIMPLE. When I first saw a pastry braid, I was so intimidated by how intricate it looked. It felt almost unattainable without tons of practice. But I'm here to tell you that is absolutely not the case!

Here's the whole process:
1️⃣ Roll out puff pastry and cut slits on the sides
2️⃣ Spread cream cheese and guava down the center
3️⃣ Overlap the side pieces to create the braid
4️⃣ Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar
5️⃣ Bake until deep golden brown

THAT'S IT! The braiding technique is so much easier than it looks, and the result is absolutely stunning.

Two critical tips:
-Keep it COLD before baking: Cold puff pastry = steam when it hits the hot oven = flaky layers! If the butter is too warm, it won't puff properly.
-Bake until DEEP golden brown: Not just golden, but DEEP golden. This ensures crispy, flaky pastry that's cooked all the way through. Nobody wants soggy pastry!

This is perfect for brunch, dessert, or honestly just because you want something that looks impressive but is secretly easy to make. You can also substitute any fruit preserves if you can't find guava!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'GUAVA' below and I'll send you the link!

#GuavaPastry #PuffPastry #PastryBraid #LatinDesserts #CreamCheese #BrunchRecipes #HomemadePastries #BakingFromScratch #WeekendBaking #ImpressiveButEasy
Do you remember those Danish butter cookies that c Do you remember those Danish butter cookies that came in the fancy blue tin? The ones your mom would buy every Christmas and you'd go absolutely CRAZY for? 

Well, guess what? You can make them YOURSELF! And they're shockingly simple!

I'm talking about those perfectly crispy-on-the-outside, melt-in-your-mouth-on-the-inside shortbread cookies that are basically edible butter. And honestly? 

I don't think they should be reserved just for the holidays. These cookies deserve to be eaten ALL YEAR LONG!

Here's what makes them so special:
-The Recipe: Only FIVE ingredients—butter, flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. That's it! If you can cream butter and sugar together, you can make these.
-The Texture: They're like shortbread cookies but slightly softer, so when you bite into them, they literally melt in your mouth. It's pure butter heaven.
-The Secret: Use European-style butter! It has a higher fat content which makes these cookies extra creamy and flavorful. It's worth the upgrade, I promise!

Important tips:
Be VERY careful measuring your flour—too much and the dough will be impossible to pipe
Use a LARGE star tip (not a small one!) or you won't be able to squeeze the dough out
These actually taste BETTER after they cool! The crispiness is what makes them so good, so resist eating them warm (I know it's hard!)

These are perfect for coffee breaks, gift-giving, parties, or honestly just because you deserve a good cookie. You can make them in under an hour from start to finish!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'BUTTER' below and I'll send you the link!

#DanishButterCookies #ButterCookies #ShortbreadCookies #HolidayBaking #CookieRecipe #HomemadeCookies
After making approximately ONE MILLION pumpkin tre After making approximately ONE MILLION pumpkin treats recently, I was desperate for something with all those cozy fall vibes but maybe... a little less pumpkin? 

So I set my sights on something that doesn't get nearly enough love in the dessert world: SWEET POTATOES! 

And here's my controversial opinion: Sweet potato beats pumpkin ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. There, I said it! 

These Sweet Potato Cupcakes are super moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with the creamiest cinnamon cream cheese frosting. 

They taste similar to pumpkin cupcakes (so if you're a die-hard pumpkin lover, you can absolutely swap in pumpkin puree!), but here's why sweet potato wins:
✨ More starch = MORE moisture and density in the cupcake
✨ The flavor is 100x better (fight me on this!)
✨ That perfect balance between sweet and earthy

But what I'm MOST proud of is how the frosting and cake work together. You know how sometimes you get a cupcake with frosting that's way too sweet so you just eat the cake? Or killer frosting but blah cake so you only eat the frosting? NOT THIS CUPCAKE. 

The spiced cake needs a little sweetness to balance it out, and the tart cream cheese frosting is PERFECT. They're soulmates! 

Important tips:
-Don't undercook them or they'll sink in the center (but more frosting fixes everything!)
-Fill the liners 3/4 full—not all the way—to get exactly 12 cupcakes
-Use a 2M Wilton tip for that fancy frosting swirl (or just spread with a knife!)

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'CUPCAKE' below and I'll send you the link!
Team Sweet Potato or Team Pumpkin? Let me know in the comments! 

#SweetPotatoCupcakes #CreamCheeseFrosting  #CupcakeRecipe

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