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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

appetizer· Easter· Fall Flavors· sides· snacks
March 15, 2024

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta – Organic small carrots are tossed with cumin, paprika and cinnamon and then roasted to…
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Everything Focaccia

Everything Focaccia

bread· snacks
January 9, 2024

Everything Focaccia – Homemade focaccia dough is topped with everything seasoning (salt, poppyseeds, sesame seeds, and onion) and baked to…
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Monte Cristo Pinwheels

Monte Cristo Pinwheels

appetizer· sandwiches & wraps· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
January 5, 2024

Monte Cristo Pinwheels – Puff pastry dough is rolled with black forest ham and Swiss cheese and baked to perfection….
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Grown-up Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grown-up Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies· dessert· snacks
October 9, 2023

Grown-up Chocolate Chip Cookies – Chocolate chip cookies loaded with finely chopped pistachios, walnuts, and dried cherries. A sprinkle of…
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Goat Cheese Phyllo Cigars

Goat Cheese Phyllo Cigars

appetizer· Easter· Holiday Favorites· snacks· Valentine's Day
September 4, 2023

Goat Cheese Phyllo Cigars – Thin phyllo dough is filled with goat cheese and herb filling, rolled into cigars, and…
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Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

bars and brownies· Cookies· dessert· Easter· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· snacks
August 22, 2023

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars – Brown sugar cinnamon filing is placed between shortbread cookie layers. It all gets a…
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Fried Onion Petals

Fried Onion Petals

appetizer· snacks
June 8, 2023

Fried Onion Petals – Sweet onion is sliced into petals, seasoned, and fried until perfectly crispy. Served with homemade horseradish…
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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

a hand holding up a maple molasses cookie to show all the detailed cracks in the top of the cookie

Maple Molasses Cookies

styled shot of a stack of chocolate pecan pie cheesecake bars

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

Butterscotch Pear Turnovers on a baking sheet with parchment paper, shot from overhead

Butterscotch Pear Turnovers

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

styled shot of Salted Caramel Apple Pie Parfaits with a pan of pie and a can of whipped cream behind it

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Parfaits

a stack of three Apple Cider Crumb Doughnuts on a cloth napkin with more doughnuts around them, shot from the front

Apple Cider Crumb Doughnuts

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

a slice of victoria sandwich cake with a bite remove and a few crumbs on the plate

Victoria Sandwich Cake

nutella fruit waffle on a white plate with waffles and fruit in the background

Nutella Fruit Waffle

overhead shot of fig and goat cheese crostini on a serving platter

Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini

styled shot of Pistachio Biscotti on a table with shelled pistachios sprinkled around, shot from a side angle

Pistachio Biscotti

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

Raspberries & Cream Profiteroles

 

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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