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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Cookbooks

cover photo of entertaining made easy cookbook

I have always loved entertaining. Growing up, I tried out new recipes during Easter brunches, birthday parties, and Thanksgiving dinners. The more I practiced, the more comfortable I became making food for groups of people.

To share what I’ve learned and make entertaining more approachable, I geared my second cookbook towards those who love to entertain but feel a little intimidated by the process. It’s called Entertaining Made Easy: Recipes, Menus, and Inspiration for Effortless Celebrations. My goal for this book is to give you the same confidence to tackle any event—big or small, fancy or casual. I’m sharing all the tips and tricks I’ve picked up from years of hosting. Not every event I hosted went well, but I learned so much from each failure.

All the recipes in this book are simple to make and perfect for any gathering. Some contain only five ingredients, some can be executed in under 30 minutes, some can be made in one pot or on a baking sheet, and some aren’t cooked at all. For recipes that require a little more work, I share all my best tips and tricks for ensuring the dish comes out perfectly.

Not only do I provide recipes that can be used for all kinds of entertaining, but I also give you specifics on the Five Elements of Entertaining and how to apply them to 12 different types of events. The five elements include:

  1. The Occasion
  2. The People
  3. The Location
  4. The Menu
  5. The Entertainment

Along with those elements, I will provide a timeline for the event prep and some additional tips to help make your event extra special.

Some of the types of events that you’ll get guidance on include:

  • Graduation Parties
  • Baby Showers
  • Game Nights
  • Housewarming Parties
  • Wine Tastings

I cannot wait for you to see all the great things this book has to offer. It officially goes on sale October 27, 2020 but preordering has already begun. Preorder your copy TODAY!

I have published a cookbook that will help you learn everything you need to know about pastry – Pastry for Beginners: Step-by-Step Recipes for Sweet and Savory Treats. This cookbook starts with a thorough introduction to the ins and outs of baking with pastry to help you understand why we do the the things we do. In this cookbook you’ll answer the following questions:

  • What are the most important kitchen tools necessary for pastry?
  • Why is cold butter important when making pie dough?
  • What is the best way to measure ingredients?
  • How do I use pastry bag?
  • What are the secrets to fluffy yeast dough?

After you’ve learned everything you need to know about pastry, the following chapters break down the four major types of pastry:

  • Pie Dough
  • Puff Pastry
  • Yeast Dough
  • Choux Pastry

You’ll learn a master recipe for each chapter that is then used in the recipes that follow. As a bonus, each chapter has a few variations of the master recipe so you can flex those pastry skills you just learned!

Grab a copy for yourself today!

  • Amazon
  • Target
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Walmart
  • Books-a-Million
  • Indiebound
  • Indigo

 

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

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

Maple Walnut Cookies

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

Holiday Mule

a bowl of Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce with a spoon in it and a bowl of brown sugar with a spoon in it on a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce

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

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

pumpkin challah bread sliced with a knife

Pumpkin Challah Bread

zoomed in shot of a bowl of sweet potato gnocchi, shot from a side angle

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

a pie plate of berry crumble pie, shot from overhead

Berry Crumble Pie

two bowls of goat cheese sweet corn grits with a spoon in it on a cotton napkin with corn cobs next to it, shot from overhead

Goat Cheese & Sweet Corn Grits

close up of pretzel bread pudding slice on a plate in a pool of whiskey sauce

Pretzel Bread Pudding

whole nutella cream pie shot from an overhead angle

Nutella Cream Pie

 

Caesar Pasta Salad – penne pasta tossed with all Caesar Pasta Salad – penne pasta tossed with all your favorite Caesar salad ingredients! 🥗

I'm not usually a huge creamy pasta salad fan, you guys, but this one BLEW ME AWAY! The homemade Caesar dressing adds SO much bold flavor and only gets better as time goes by! 

The combo of crispy romaine, perfectly al dente pasta, juicy tomatoes, and that incredible dressing? Perfection!

Pro tip: Shred your own Parmesan cheese! Pre-shredded is too thick – freshly shredded blends into the salad SO much better!

Perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, picnics, or anytime you need an amazing pasta salad! ☀️

💬 Comment "CAESAR" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for summer entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves Caesar salad!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/caesar-pasta-salad
#PastaSalad #CaesarSalad #SummerSalad #PastaSaladRecipe #SummerSide #SummerRecipes #EasySalad #HomemadeDressing #PastaSalads #SummerFood
Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers – grilled shrim Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers – grilled shrimp covered in a spicy, creamy, sweet chili sauce!

Grilling is my FAVORITE, you guys! Those charred grill marks add SO much flavor! This is my grilled twist on the classic fried Bang Bang Shrimp from that upscale seafood restaurant – healthier and just as delicious! 

The sauce is simply mayo + sweet chili sauce + sriracha. SO easy!

Pro tip: Taste your sauce first and add more sriracha if needed – mine was too mild so I kept adding more! And soak those wooden skewers for 30 minutes so they don't catch fire!

Perfect for summer BBQs, pool parties, or anytime you want easy grilled appetizers! 

💬 Comment "BANGBANG" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for grilling season
📤 SHARE with someone who loves shrimp!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/grilled-bang-bang-shrimp-skewers

#BangBangShrimp #GrilledShrimp #ShrimpSkewers #BBQRecipes #GrilledSeafood #ShrimpRecipes #PoolPartyFood #OutdoorCooking #SummerFood
Carrot Snack Cake – a single-layer carrot cake t Carrot Snack Cake – a single-layer carrot cake topped with homemade cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with chopped pecans!

Easter isn't the same without carrot cake, but who has time for a three-layer version anymore? Not me! This snack cake has ALL the classic flavors – cinnamon, carrot, nutmeg, brown sugar, pecans – with HALF the effort! 

Made in a 9x9 pan and you can even frost it right in the pan for extra simplicity!
Pro tip: Freshly shred your carrots – they're softer and taste SO much better than pre-shredded matchstick carrots!

Perfect for Easter, spring gatherings, potlucks, or anytime you want carrot cake without the fuss! 

💬 Comment "CARROTCAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for easy baking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves carrot cake!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/carrot-snack-cake/
#CarrotCake #CarrotSnackCake #EasterDessert #SpringDesserts #EasyCake #CakeRecipes #HomemadeCake #SpringBaking #EasyDessert #SheetCake
Mixed Berry Fool – a no-bake British dessert mad Mixed Berry Fool – a no-bake British dessert made from sweetened smashed berries folded into fresh whipped cream!

I learned about this from my Great British Baking Show binges, you guys! A "fool" is just crushed fruit folded into whipped cream – SO simple! This version uses strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries for the perfect spring treat!

Everyone in my family loved this! Creamy, light, tart, and sweet all at once!
Pro tip: Chill the berries for 15 minutes but DON'T let them freeze – stir occasionally to prevent ice crystals!

Perfect for Easter, Valentine's Day, spring brunches, or anytime you need an elegant no-bake dessert! 🌸

💬 Comment "BERRYFOOL" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for spring entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves berries

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/mixed-berry-fool

#MixedBerryFool #BerryFool #NoBakeDessert #SpringDesserts #BritishDessert #EasterDessert #BerryDessert #FreshBerries #SummerDessert #BrunchDessert
Apple Pie Slider Doughnuts – rich brioche doughn Apple Pie Slider Doughnuts – rich brioche doughnuts tossed in cinnamon sugar, sliced in half, and stuffed with gooey fried apples! 

I LOVE slider doughnuts, you guys! They're stuffed with SO much filling that you can't just pump it into the center – you have to slice them like a burger bun! These fall-inspired beauties are filled with sticky, sweet, crispy fried apples!

The secret? Brioche dough chilled overnight makes them extra tender and fluffy. Don't worry when they turn super brown when frying – that's just the extra butter and eggs!

Pro tip: Use a candy thermometer to keep oil at 360°F – perfect temp for fluffy doughnuts!

Perfect for brunch or anytime you want bakery-level doughnuts at home! 

💬 Comment "APPLEPIE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for fall baking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves doughnuts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/apple-pie-slider-doughnuts/

#ApplePieDoughnuts #SliderDoughnuts #HomemadeDoughnuts #BriocheDoughnuts #ApplePie #DoughnutRecipes #CinnamonSugar #FallTreats #BreakfastIdeas

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