holiday favorite

a slice of chocolate pecan pie on a plate with another plate of pie in the background, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Pecan Pie

a trio of gingerbread souffles on a serving platter

Gingerbread Soufflé

a slice of chocolate cream pie with a bite out of it on a plate with more pie in the background, shot from the front

Chocolate Cream Pie

Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels on a plate with sprigs of herbs in between the pinwheels, shot from overhead

Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels

two copper mugs filled with holiday mule drinks and a pitcher in the background

Holiday Mule

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Pretzel Rolo Cookie Cups

Cookies
May 13, 2012

Pretzel Rolo Cookie Cups – Chocolate caramel candies baked in a brown sugar cookie shell and topped with a pretzel. This week’s post comes from, you guessed it, another request from work. I love making things that people suggest. Plus, it opens me up to recipes that I probably wouldn’t have made otherwise. This recipe was found by one of…
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Sea Salt Caramels

candy
April 26, 2012

Sea Salt Caramels – A super simple recipe to make salted caramels at home. French cuisine has to be my favorite cuisine of them all, not just because it tastes great (which it so does) but because of how classic it is. Don’t you just feel more sophisticated when you’re eating a soufflé or a croissant or coq au vin…
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Blueberry Crumb Bars

bars and brownies· Easter· Summertime Favorites
April 22, 2012

Blueberry Crumb Bars – Fresh blueberries with a hint of lemon zest on top of a buttery crust and sprinkled with golden crumbs. As you probably know by now, most of my baked goods are made specifically for my co-workers. I love baking (duh.) but there’s no way I could keep all of these goodies at my house. So I…
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Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake

cake· Easter· Summertime Favorites
April 9, 2012

Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake – A classic lemon pound cake with gorgeous poppyseeds scattered throughout. Well, it happened. Someone decided to challenge me to another bake-off at work. Let me remind you the last time someone decided to challenge me to a bake-off…well, all you really need to know is I kicked Little Debbie’s ass. Ok, fine. I guess if…
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Bourbon Peach Hand Pies

Easter· pie· Summertime Favorites
March 25, 2012

Bourbon Peach Hand Pies – Mini peach hand pies with a hint of bourbon. This week’s baked good was inspired by my co-worker’s love of the fried peach pies that are served at the Varsity, a famous fast-food spot here in Atlanta. They’re similar to the apple pies from McDonalds, just with peaches instead of apples. We’ve discussed them multiple…
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Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

biscuits· Easter
March 21, 2012

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits – These southern buttermilk biscuits are given a little boost from active drive yeast so they become light and fluffy. When I found myself with a pint of buttermilk leftover that would surely go to waste, I decided to browse for recipes to see what I could do with it. And then it hit me…buttermilk biscuits! I…
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Glazed Doughnut Muffins

breakfast· Easter· muffins
March 11, 2012

Glazed Doughnut Muffins – These muffins have the texture and flavors of classic cake doughnuts, covered in glaze. At work, we have an extremely busy part of the year (referred to as our “busy season”). Busy season runs from about January to March. For my team, it ended on February 23rd. To celebrate the end of this stressful and grueling…
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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

apple cinnamon monkey bread with a chunk out of it and sliced apples in front, shot from a side angle

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

picture of apple pecan farro salad served on a white plate

Apple Pecan Farro Salad

overhead shot of cheddar crusted apple pie with lattice crust

Cheddar Crusted Apple Pie

a stack of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and individual cookies on a sheet pan with chocolate chips around them and a stack of pumpkins in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

zoomed in shot of cut up apple cider caramels

Apple Cider Caramels

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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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