holiday favorite

mixed berry fool in a glass with a strawberry and mint garnish on top

Mixed Berry Fool

overhead shot of finish amaretto baba cake before slicing

Amaretto Baba Cake

overhead shot of Cinnamon Roll Wreath

Cinnamon Roll Wreath

Pumpkin Tres Leches

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

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

close up of a glass bowl of chili mango sorbet

Chili Mango Sorbet

ice cream· National Ice Cream Month
July 21, 2023

Chili Mango Sorbet – Fresh mango, lime juice, lime zest, and a little chili powder are blended together and then frozen into a creamy sorbet. Today we have the first sorbet recipe of National Ice Cream Month for 2023. It’s this Chili Mango Sorbet, which is incredibly flavorful and dreamy creamy. Because of the thicker consistency of fresh mango and…
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close up of three scoops of blackberry vanilla ice cream with blackberries and mint to garnish

Blackberry Vanilla Ice Cream

ice cream· National Ice Cream Month
July 17, 2023

Blackberry Vanilla Ice Cream – Homemade vanilla ice cream is given a fruity addition of fresh blackberries. Happy belated National Ice Cream Day! The celebration was yesterday but that doesn’t mean today should have any less ice cream. I mean, it’s National Ice Cream Month, after all, so that means you can have ice cream every day right?! For today’s…
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banana split parfait shot from afar with hot fudge and whipped cream in the background

Banana Split Parfait

dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month
July 14, 2023

Banana Split Parfait – The classic banana split goes vertical! Strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate ice creams are topped with homemade strawberry sauce, fresh crushed pineapple, and homemade hot fudge, respectively, and served in a tall glass with a full split banana. We’re back with more frozen treats to celebrate National Ice Cream Month. Today’s recipe is a fun take on…
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zoomed out photo of strawberry pound cake sundae on a white plate with a pink background

Strawberry Pound Cake Sundae

cake· dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
July 6, 2023

Strawberry Pound Cake Sundae – A slice of buttery pound cake is grilled and then topped with vanilla bean ice cream and homemade strawberry sauce. The second ice cream recipe of this year’s National Ice Cream Month celebration is a little more approachable than homemade ice cream. It’s a sundae! You can certainly use homemade ice cream for this sundae…
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three scoops of bananas foster ice cream in a clear trifle glass

Bananas Foster Ice Cream

ice cream· National Ice Cream Month
July 3, 2023

Bananas Foster Ice Cream – Homemade vanilla ice cream is swirled with caramelized bananas with a hint of cinnamon July is here. Sadly, it’s the last month of summer (for us anyway – school begins the first week of August). Luckily, July is also National Ice Cream Month so we can send the season with a bang! I will spend…
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chicken caesar wrap slided in half and place on a plate with tooth picks in each half

Chicken Caesar Wrap

chicken entrees· salad· sandwiches & wraps· Summertime Favorites
June 30, 2023

Chicken Caesar Wrap – Romaine lettuce is tossed with homemade Caesar dressing, grilled chicken, Parmesan cheese, and croutons and then wrapped in a plain wrap. The Chicken Caesar Wrap is one of the latest food trends taking over TikTok. But I have been enjoying these wraps for almost two decades. I used to have them for lunch breaks at my…
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overhead shot of the whole georgia peach salad

Georgia Peach Salad

chicken entrees· salad· Summertime Favorites
June 26, 2023

Georgia Peach Salad – Mixed greens are tossed with grilled chicken, fresh Georgia peaches, pecans, goat cheese crumbles, grape tomatoes, and sliced red onions. Serve with my homemade white balsamic vinaigrette. Peaches are FINALLY in season! They are my favorite fruit and, sadly, I can only enjoy them about 4 months of the year MAX. Even living in Georgia, I…
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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

styled shot of Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Roasted Brussel Sprouts in a baking dish with melted butter and a spoon in it, shot from a side angle

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

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

Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin

two pints of high road ice cream stacked on top of each other with glass dishes of apple pie sundaes next to them and an apple slice and a apple cut in half in front, shot from the front

Apple Pie Sundae

styled shot of Turkey Noodle Soup

Turkey Noodle Soup

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

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Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken te Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken tenders topped with fresh baby arugula, a squeeze of lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cheese in a soft hoagie bun! 

I tried this sandwich at a restaurant and fell so deeply in love that I HAD to recreate it at home, you guys! It was so SIMPLE yet so INCREDIBLE! 😍

The best part? It tastes fresh and light despite being a fried piece of chicken! The secret is all in the fresh toppings – the baby arugula, bright lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cut through the richness of the fried chicken perfectly!

The biggest step is pounding and frying the chicken tenders, but don't worry – I use a shallow pool of oil instead of deep frying, which makes it SO much simpler at home! Just flatten the chicken evenly so it cooks through and gets super crispy!

Pro tip: Make sure to use the lemon! Fried food can taste rich and heavy, and the lemon juice is exactly what the chicken needs to lighten it up and add freshness!
Perfect for lunch, dinner, weeknight meals, or anytime you want a gourmet sandwich at home! 🥪

💬 Comment "SCHNITZEL" for the recipe
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https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/schnitzel-sub-sandwich/
Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake with a generous layer of fudgy chocolate icing on top! The ratio of cake to icing is absolute PERFECTION! 

Chocolate cake has been hit or miss for me my whole life, you guys! Either it's dry or bland or not chocolatey enough! But this Texas Sheet Cake? BY FAR my favorite chocolate cake of all time! 

It's perfectly moist, FULL of chocolate flavor, and that icing on top just sets it into overdrive! After one bite, I simply cannot stop eating!

The secret to this incredible cake is the right ratio of icing to cake and placing the icing on the cake while it's HOT! This seals in all the moisture and makes it absolutely DIVINE!

Pro tip: Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead of classic unsweetened – the chocolate flavor is way more potent! Plus, this cake bakes in under 20 minutes, so it's perfect for last-minute cravings!

Perfect for potlucks, parties, crowd feeding, or anytime you need to satisfy those chocolate cravings! 

💬 Comment "TEXASCAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for chocolate emergencies
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https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/texas-sheet-cake/
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaig Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette – crispy roasted Brussels sprouts tossed in a tangy, sweet honey mustard vinaigrette! 

If you had told me 5 years ago that I'd be posting a brussels sprouts recipe on this blog, I wouldn't have believed you, you guys! All I knew about them was that they were a stinky vegetable nobody liked!

Then all of a sudden, brussels sprouts were on EVERY menu at EVERY restaurant I visited! I was shocked! So when my girlfriends ordered a large side to share at dinner, I decided to try them – and I was CONVERTED! 😍

They were roasted until crispy, coated in a honey mustard vinaigrette that was tangy, crispy, and sweet! Now I'm sharing MY version so you can convert brussels sprout haters too!

Pro tip: Toss the brussels sprouts in the vinaigrette while they're still hot so they absorb all those amazing flavors!

Perfect for holiday dinners, dinner parties or anytime you need a delicious side dish! 

💬 Comment "SPROUTS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for entertaining
📤 SHARE with a brussels sprout hater!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/roasted-brussel-sprouts-with-honey-mustard-vinaigrette/
Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – ground beef seasoned wi Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – ground beef seasoned with mustard and Worcestershire, stuffed with American cheese and pickles, all wrapped in a crispy wonton wrapper! Served with a tangy burger sauce for dipping! 

Frying foods is not always my favorite thing to do, you guys! But when I decide to, it's gotta be worth it! And these cheeseburger egg rolls are TOTALLY worth it! You just can't get the same crisp on the wonton wrapper in the oven or air fryer!

The filling is just like a classic cheeseburger – ground beef, American cheese, a pickle, and just a hint of mustard! And the burger sauce with ketchup, mustard, and relish rounds out those classic burger flavors!

Pro tip: Drain the beef extremely well! Any excess oil will put holes in the wonton wrapper while it's frying!

Perfect for appetizers, game day, parties, tailgating, or anytime you want cheeseburger flavor in a crispy, fun package! 🍟

💬 Comment "EGGROLLS" for the recipe
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📤 SHARE with someone who loves burgers!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/cheeseburger-egg-rolls/
Coconut Tres Leches – a tropical twist on the cl Coconut Tres Leches – a tropical twist on the classic! Spongy cake soaked in three milks (including coconut cream instead of heavy cream!) and topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut! 

Despite my Hispanic heritage, tres leches is something I only started loving in my 20s, you guys! And when I did? I was almost ANGRY I had waited so long to try it!

I love taking classic recipes and giving them unique twists! For this one, I replaced the heavy cream with coconut cream and topped it with toasted coconut – because I LOVE coconut cream cake! The result? The best of both worlds – all the tres leches flavor with all the coconut goodness!

Pro tip: Make this cake a day in advance and let it sit overnight! Tres leches gets BETTER over time, and it makes a world of difference!

One of the best desserts I've made in a while – seriously, your mind will be blown with every bite! 

💬 Comment "TRESLECHES" for the recipe
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📤 SHARE with someone who loves coconut!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/coconut-tres-leches/

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