holiday favorite

picture of mixed berry almond tart dusted with powdered sugar shot at an angle from the front

Mixed Berry Almond Tart

close up of slices of cranberry orange loaf on a serving platter

Cranberry Orange Loaf

brooklyn blackout cupcakes

Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes

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

front shot of sweet potato cornbread in a cast iron skillet

Sweet Potato Cornbread

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with glaze in a baking dish

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter
August 7, 2016

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls – Classic cinnamon rolls are kicked up a notch with the addition of diced apples and fall spices to make these taste just like fresh apple pie. Perfect for any breakfast or brunch, especially during the holidays! If there’s one thing I’ve learned about my husband’s taste in sweets, is that he’s as traditional as you can…
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grilled corn guacamole and ears of corn

Roasted Corn Guacamole

dips· Summertime Favorites
August 4, 2016

Ever since we moved into our new house, we’ve been grilling like crazy. See, we weren’t allowed to have a grill at our apartment, so this is a new treat for us. So, of course, I had to look through my cook books to see what kind of goodies we could whip up with our new grill. One of my…
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Red Velvet Macarons - A classic french cookie made with a red velvet cookie and cream cheese filling. A elegant little dessert perfect for bridal showers and tea parties!

Red Velvet Macarons

Cookies· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
August 1, 2016

Red Velvet Macarons – A classic french cookie made with a red velvet cookie and cream cheese filling. A elegant little dessert perfect for bridal showers and tea parties! Ever since we visited Paris last year, I have been in love with macarons. If you haven’t had a macaron before, you’ve been missing out! They are these traditional French sandwich…
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Beer and Cheese Biscuits - Super cheesy biscuits are taken to a whole other level with the addition of beer. You'll be shocked by how easy they are to make! Perfect for breakfast sandwiches or alongside your favorite dinner.

Beer and Cheese Biscuits

biscuits
July 24, 2016

Beer and Cheese Biscuits – Super cheesy biscuits are taken to a whole other level with the addition of beer. You’ll be shocked by how easy they are to make! Perfect for breakfast sandwiches or alongside your favorite dinner.  People always ask me: how do you decide on what you’re going to make? There are mainly two things that help…
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chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

ice cream· Summertime Favorites
July 19, 2016

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream – A chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream that tastes like cookie dough in every bite. Well, hello there. It’s been quite a long time. Where have I been, you ask? Long story short, I got lazy and let life get in the way of my blogging. But my baking and love of food…
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Coca-Cola Cupcakes

cake
July 8, 2012

Coca-Cola Cupcakes – Cocoa-cola adds a yummy sweetness to these chocolate cupcakes! Now, I’m gonna be honest with ya’ll (clearly living in the South has changed me a bit)…I turned my nose up to all recipes I saw that had any kind of soda in it: cherry cola, Mountain Dew, Sprite, you name it. Being the classic cook that I…
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Chocolate-Covered Turtles with Bacon

candy
May 21, 2012

Chocolate-Covered Turtles with Bacon – Chocolate turtles made with pecans and a special ingredient. Bacon! It’s back! After a few months off, I finally received another food challenge at work. No, not another bake-off challenge, but an ingredient challenge. The partner at my job loves to make requests/challenges for Friday treat that I’m bringing in that week. Of course, 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

Apple Pie Cake

stacked maple walnut cookies on a red orange napkin and one cookie with a bite removed

Maple Walnut Cookies

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

Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons

closeup of mini pumpkin doughnut muffins with one with a bite out of it

Mini Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

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

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

Iced Pumpkin Scones

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Raspberry and chocolate is a match made in heaven! Raspberry and chocolate is a match made in heaven! I just love how the juicy, tart raspberries balance out even the darkest chocolate. This combo is hard to beat, especially around this time of year!

I took my favorite molten chocolate cake recipe and made it even BETTER by adding fresh raspberry puree and a fresh raspberry in the center. The result? Pure indulgence!

These mini molten cakes are:
🍫 The perfect individual serving size (no more giant cakes!)
🍓 Light yet completely decadent
💕 Romantic and festive with those gorgeous colors
⚡ Ready in just 35 minutes total

The best part? That gooey, molten center with the surprise raspberry inside! Every bite is heaven.

Want the complete recipe? Comment 'MOLTEN' below and I'll send you the link!

#RaspberryChocolateMoltenCake #MoltenCake #ChocolateLavaCake #ValentinesDayDessert #RaspberryChocolate
I'm SO excited to share these Raspberry Almond Lin I'm SO excited to share these Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies with you!

I've always loved almond (hence my obsession with almond croissants), and you know I'm crazy about berries. But it wasn't until I tried raspberry almond thumbprint cookies last year that I realized how KILLER these two flavors are together!

So I wanted to showcase this dynamic duo in a more sophisticated way. Enter: Linzer Cookies! These Austrian beauties feature a little window of jam in the center, and honestly? They're not short on the pizzazz, that's for sure.

Here's what makes these cookies SO good:
🍓 Buttery almond shortbread base
🍓 Perfectly tart seedless raspberry jam
🍓 Crisp texture with the perfect moisture from the jam
🍓 They look WAY more impressive than they actually are to make

Now, I won't lie - these rank Medium on the difficulty level. They're not particularly hard, they just take a little patience. But don't worry! I've got ALL my tips and tricks in the full recipe to make sure you feel confident!

Critical tips for success:
1️⃣ Keep the dough COLD or they'll spread into flat pancakes (trust me on this!)
2️⃣ Use parchment paper when rolling - lifesaver for sticky dough
3️⃣ Dip your cookie cutter in flour between cuts
4️⃣ Chill cut cookies for 30 min BEFORE baking
5️⃣ If dough gets sticky, pop it in the freezer - I do this constantly!

The best part? As soon as you bite into one of these, a rush of flavor overcomes your mouth and all you can manage to say is "Yummm!" How could you not love these cookies?!

They're perfect for your holiday cookie exchanges, Christmas parties, Valentine's Days, or honestly anytime you want something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but is secretly pretty doable!

Want the full recipe with ALL my detailed tips? https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/raspberry-almond-linzer-cookies/
Today's recipe is the perfect romantic dessert and Today's recipe is the perfect romantic dessert and just what you need for your V-Day needs. 

It's light, flavorful, and looks VERY impressive – the soufflé!

In this version, there's a layer of cherry compote at the bottom of each ramekin with almond cake on top. Cherry and almond are so perfect together, guys. This dessert tastes like heaven!

Here's why you'll LOVE this recipe:
💕 Light almond cake with sweet-tart cherry compote
💕 Looks fancy but surprisingly doable
💕 Perfect for date night at home
💕 That classic cherry-almond flavor combo
💕 Individual servings = so romantic!

Critical tips for souffle success:
1️⃣ Gently fold the egg whites - If you stir too vigorously, they'll deflate and won't help the soufflé rise
2️⃣ Grease AND sugar the ramekins - The sugar helps the soufflé climb up the sides instead of falling back down
3️⃣ Keep oven CLOSED - Do NOT open the door before it's done or it could fall!
4️⃣ Serve immediately - Straight out of the oven for the prettiest presentation

Fun fact: If you want extra tall soufflés, you can add a paper collar to the inside of the dish before filling it with batter. But I definitely don't think it's necessary!

This might be my favorite Valentine's Day dessert ever. That cherry-almond combo is just chef's kiss.

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

#CherryAlmondSouffle #ValentinesDayDessert #SouffleRecipe #ValentinesDayBaking #HomemadeSouffle #ValentinesDayRecipes
It's soup season, y'all! And I'm bringing you my F It's soup season, y'all! And I'm bringing you my FAVORITE fall comfort food: Salsa Verde Chicken Chili! 

This isn't your typical chili, guys. We're talking shredded chicken, white beans, and a HEARTY salsa verde broth that'll warm you right up on these chilly days!

The best part? It's SO EASY! I use rotisserie chicken so there's barely any prep work. Just shred, dump, and let it simmer for an hour. That's it!

Here's why you'll LOVE this recipe:
✨ Packed with protein and fiber from white beans
✨ Fresh salsa verde flavor (not jarred stuff!)
✨ Ready in about 1.5 hours total
✨ Perfect for meal prep - lasts 3 days in the fridge
✨ Totally customizable with your favorite toppings

And can we talk about the avocado situation? I'd never had avocado in my chili before this, and OH MY GOSH. Game changer! The creaminess + the spices = chef's kiss

Swipe to see the process and my top tips! ➡️

💌 Want the full recipe? Comment 'VERDE' below and I'll send you the link!
Have you tried white chili before? Let me know in the comments! 👇

#SalsaVerdeChickenChili  #ComfortFoo #ChickenChili #SoupRecipe
Okay I'm taking a break from all this healthy eati Okay I'm taking a break from all this healthy eating. Gimme me all the chocolate!

This Red Velvet Loaf is EXACTLY what I needed after a month of Weight Watchers! Ultra-moist red velvet cake topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting - and the best part? It's a loaf so there's no fussy layering!

Here's why you'll LOVE this recipe:
🔴 Super moist thanks to buttermilk (my secret weapon!)
🔴 Perfect for Valentine's Day or any time you need something red and festive
🔴 Easy loaf format - no cake decorating skills needed
🔴 That classic red velvet flavor with mild chocolate notes

The trick to keeping this cake moist? Don't overbake it! I start checking around the 1-hour mark. Also, gel food coloring is KEY - it won't mess with your batter consistency.

Fun fact: I never even tasted red velvet until I moved to Atlanta! Now it's one of my favorite treats to make.

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'RED VELVET' below and I'll send you the link!
Have you tried making red velvet at home? Let me know in the comments! 

#RedVelvetLoaf #RedVelvetCake #ValentinesDayDessert #ValentinesDayBaking #LoafCake #HomemadeCake #RedVelvet #DessertRecipe #CakeRecipe #ValentinesTreatsl

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