holiday favorite

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

Mixed Berry Almond Tart

Pumpkin Tres Leches

Maple Pecan Scones

close up of sliced loaf of chocolate cinnamon babka with the center exposed to see the beautiful swirl of chocolate

Chocolate Cinnamon Babka

a corner shot of a plate of Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies with a shaker of powdered sugar in the background, shot from a side angle

Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies
February 19, 2012

Did I mention that I’m kind of obsessed with s’mores? S’mores in a jar, s’mores pop tarts, s’mores cupcakes, s’mores brownies…I’ve made them all. So when I had an itch to bake a couple Sundays ago, I went searching through my recipe folders to see what I had bookmarked lately. And there it was…this amazing recipe for s’mores cookies.  Even…
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Homemade Pop Tarts

pastries
February 16, 2012

Homemade Pop Tarts – Flaky pastry filled with your favorite flavors: strawberry jam, brown sugar cinnamon, or s’mores. For this week’s baked good, I decided to make homemade pop tarts. I got the idea from my boss, who told me that he eats them every morning for breakfast. So, I thought, why not make him one from scratch? I’d definitely…
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Aussie Sausage Rolls

appetizer· Tailgating Recipes
January 22, 2012

Aussie Sausage Rolls – A mixture of sausage, diced onions, and spices are rolled in puff pastry and baked to perfection. The perfect appetizer for any event! I’ve been getting requests from every which way, especially from people at work. This week’s request was for a pastry with meat in it…? I’ve never made such a thing but it’s not…
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Cheesecakes!

cake
January 3, 2012

Cheesecakes! – A duo recipe with cappuccino chocolate cheesecake and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. The first “difficult” thing I learned to make was cheesecake when I was about 14 years old. It was a pretty awesome triple chocolate cheesecake recipe from one of the first cookbooks I ever received. I haven’t made a cheesecake since then. There’s really no reason…
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Peppermint Shortbread Bites

Holiday Favorites
December 31, 2011

Peppermint Shortbread Bites – Super easy peppermint shortbread, slices into mini squares and covered with vanilla icing and crushed peppermint pieces.  This year, I got inspired to make Christmas cookie tins for the family. I kept seeing so many awesome recipes that I wanted to try, so why not share them with everyone? Now, I’ve never made cookie tins before,…
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Parmesan and Gruyere Cheese Souffle

appetizer
December 13, 2011

Parmesan & Gruyere Cheese Souffle – Fluffy eggs are mixed with rich Gruyere cheese and baked into perfectly airy and light cheese souffle This week marks the return of the Recipe Challenge, after a couple-week hiatus (you can blame Thanksgiving, work, and numerous holiday parties for that). Last week, I attempted the #1 hardest thing to make, according to this list:…
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Story behind the blog

Uncategorized
November 6, 2011

At work, we get these AMAZING doughnuts from Sublime Doughnuts every Friday. And when I say amazing, I mean ah-may-zing. If you live in the Atlanta area, and haven’t tried these yet, don’t talk to me until you do. I mean it. Anywho, the reason why I bring this up is because, last Friday, someone decided that they didn’t want…
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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

staged shot of pumpkin cinnamon crunch muffins with sprinkled pecans and pumpkins in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Cinnamon Crunch Muffins

zoomed in shot of chocolate snickerdoodles on parchment paper with a spoon in front, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

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

Butterscotch Pear Turnovers

a trio of gingerbread souffles on a serving platter

Gingerbread Soufflé

overhead shot of quinoa harvest salad on a plate

Quinoa Harvest Salad

photo of two glasses of sangria with the pitcher in the background

Cranberry Apple Sangria

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Creamy Skillet Corn Dip – fresh corn mixed with Creamy Skillet Corn Dip – fresh corn mixed with jalapeños, cream cheese, sour cream, and melty Monterrey Jack cheese! 🌽🧀

This is THE ultimate party dip, you guys! Sweet fresh corn + hint of spice + THREE creamy cheeses = pure heaven! Plus you cook AND serve it in the same skillet. Talk about a dream come true! 

The secret? FRESH corn kernels! They have a bite and sweetness you just don't get from canned or frozen. Trust me on this one!

Pro tip: Mix everything in a separate bowl first – way easier than trying to stir in the hot skillet!

Perfect for game day, summer BBQs, taco night, or honestly anytime you need a crowd-pleasing dip! 

💬 Comment "CORNDIP" for the recipe
💾 SAVE this for your next gathering
📤 SHARE with someone who loves dip!

#CreamySkilletCornDip #CornDip #PartyDip #GameDayFood #SummerAppetizers #FreshCorn #MonterreyJack #JalapenoDip #SkilletRecipes #CreamCheeseDip #TailgatingFood #BBQAppetizers #CrowdPleasers #DipRecipes #EasyAppetizers
Authentic Spanish Ham & Cheese Croquettes (Croquet Authentic Spanish Ham & Cheese Croquettes (Croquetas) – crispy fried dumplings with prosciutto, Manchego cheese, and a creamy bechamel base!

These are the ultimate party appetizer and taste exactly like what you'd get at a tapas bar in Madrid! Crispy golden exterior meets gooey, cheesy center. That cheese pull is UNREAL!

Perfect for tapas night, game day, or any party. Frying tips included so don't be scared – just heat your oil for 10+ minutes and don't overcrowd the pan!

Pro tip: Chill the dough for 2+ hours before frying or it'll fall apart!

💬 Comment "CROQUETA" for the full recipe
💾 SAVE this for your next party
📤 SHARE with someone who loves Spanish food!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/ham-cheese-croquettes-croquetas/

#HamCheeseCroquettes #Croquetas #SpanishFood
3-Ingredient Oreo Truffles 😍 One of my favorit 3-Ingredient Oreo Truffles 😍

One of my favorite go-to recipes! I inherited this from my old roommate back in college. She made them for me once and they suddenly took over my life, you guys! I seriously ate like 10 in one sitting. It was that day that I discovered what heartburn was! 

THE RECIPE (makes 48 truffles):

Ingredients:
-1 package Oreos (36 cookies)
-1 package (12 oz) chocolate chips
-1 package (8 oz) cream cheese

Instructions:
1️⃣ Take cream cheese out of fridge to warm slightly (NOT room temp!)
2️⃣ Crush Oreos into crumbs in food processor. Save 1/4 cup for topping
3️⃣ Mix Oreo crumbs + cream cheese with your HANDS until it forms a dough
4️⃣ Roll into balls using teaspoon or melon baller
5️⃣ Chill 10 minutes
6️⃣ Melt chocolate chips in microwave (30-sec increments)
7️⃣ Dip balls in chocolate, let excess drip off
8️⃣ Sprinkle with reserved Oreo crumbs
9️⃣ Chill 1 hour before serving
🔟 Store in fridge!

Save & Share!

#oreotruffles #easydesserts #oreorecipes #nobakedesserts 

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/3-ingredient-oreo-truffles
Well, if you're struggling this morning like I am, Well, if you're struggling this morning like I am, I have the perfect treat to get you moving and grooving!

Almond croissants are, by-far, my favorite pastry, you guys! I love the rich almond filling and the crunch you get from the sliced almonds on top. 

The secret to easy almond croissants? We're using store-bought croissants! Because the filling takes its own time to make, I see no benefit in making these more complicated by making your own croissants, as well. But if that's what you wanna do, you definitely can. I'm just here to assure you that it's definitely not necessary!

Perfect for impressing brunch guests, treating yourself on a lazy Sunday, or bringing bakery vibes into your own kitchen!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/almond-croissants/
The Pumpkin Cheesecake Macaron! Pumpkin butter i The Pumpkin Cheesecake Macaron! 

Pumpkin butter is just like apple butter – a spreadable puree of deliciousness with tons of spices – but made with pumpkin puree instead of apple (duh). I've seen pumpkin butter sold in stores (near the jams and jellies) but it wasn't available at my store yet. 

So I just made my own using a recipe from Skinnytaste. I only made a half-batch and it was more than enough!

Side note: I've been using the leftover pumpkin butter to flavor my coffee in the mornings. Just a teaspoon goes a long way! 

Why these are special: These macarons are so delicate, yet chewy and BEYOND flavorful, you guys! Move over, pumpkin spice latte, there's a new favorite pumpkin treat in town! 

These are restaurant-quality French cookies you can make at home! Yes, they take some practice and attention to detail, but they're SO worth it! The "wow" factor alone is incredible, and they taste even better than they look!

RECIPE: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-macarons/

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