Alicia Salazar - Camila the Baking Star

buena suerte (BWEH-nah SWEHR-teh) good luck hojarascas (oh-hah-RAHS-kahs) Mexican shortbread cookies leche (LEH-cheh) milk Mam (mah-MAH) Mom masa (MAH-sah) mixture or dough pan blanco (pahn BLAHN-koh) white bread panaderia (pah-nah-deh-REE-ah) bakery Pap (pah-PAH) Dad

We are all out of pan blanco, said Mam.

I can swing by the panaderia, said Pap.

Camila looked up from watching World Baking Challenge.

I want to go too, she said.

Mrs. Ortiz, the owner of the bakery, greeted Camila with a hug. I have a surprise for you.

She handed Camila a flyer. World Baking Challenge was having a parent-child .

Camilas eyes sparkled. Pap, we would be worldwide stars! she said. Will you please do it with me? Please?

Sure! I baked hojarascas for the holidays, he said. How hard could it be?

Two weeks after they signed up for the show, Pap got a call. It was Stella, the of the baking show. Camila craned her neck to hear Stellas words.

You and your daughter are invited to join us for the next competition! Stella said.

Yippeee! Camila clapped her hands.

We have to practice! she told Pap. I really want to go to Paris!

What do you want to bake? asked Pap.

Cupcakes! said Camila. Everyone likes cupcakes.

They set the timer for one hour. They mixed and iced and iced and mixed. They practiced every day.

They practiced so much that the whole family and all of their neighbors got to taste.

They practiced until everyone agreed they had the perfect cupcake.

Camila leaped out of bed the morning of the competition.

Can I do this? Camila wondered. She wrung her hands. Can I be a star today?

At the , each of the three teams were given aprons.

Stella showed them a kitchen with no walls surrounded by cameras. This is your , she said.

Camila and Pap wished each other buena suerte. They shared a high five.

Lights, camera, action! said the director while clacking the clapperboard.

Your challenge today is to make strawberry-iced cake pops. You have 45 minutes, Stella said. Go!

We need to work fast, Camila said as she raced around their kitchen. If we run out of time, we will be !

What can I do? asked Pap. He reached for the eggs.

Ill get the eggs and the leche! said Camila.

Do you need some help? asked Pap. He reached for the bowl.

No, I can mix it myself! cried Camila.

I can help, said Pap.

Ive got this! said Camila.

Camila mixed the ingredients in a hurry. Ill be a star! she thought.

But her mixture was a gloopy, thick mess.

I cant make cake pops with this! Camila said with a frown. Ill never get to Paris!

She turned to watch the other two teams. They were all working steadily. They were all working with their partners.

Pap, you and I are a team, she said. I dont have to do everything. We should work together.

I would be happy to help, said Pap. He adjusted his apron and winked at Camila.

Camila threw the goopy stuff in the trash.

Ill work on the masa, Pap said.

Ill work on the icing, Camila said.

She stirred. He blended. He dunked. She added the big finish.

They finished the cake pops with one minute to spare.

The judges took a bite of each teams creation. Camila crossed her fingers and gritted her teeth.

The first-place team is Camila Maria Flores Ortiz and her stepdad, Daniel! Stella said. You are going to Paris!

When they got home from Paris, Mrs. Ortiz asked Camila to make their famous cake pops for the panaderia.

You are a star, Camila! she said.

We are stars, said Camila. Pap and I are a perfect team!

Camila learned that baking as a team can be fun. Ask a grown-up to be your teammate and bake up a batch of hojarascas. The word hojarascas is Spanish for dry leaves. When you walk on dry leaves, they make a crunching noise. Just like stepping on dried leaves, these cookies will crunch when you bite them!

• cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
• cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups flour

• cup sugar
• 1-1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1. Using a mixer, beat the shortening until light and fluffy in a large bowl.
2. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until well blended.
3. Gently stir in cup flour and mix. Repeat three times. Stir until all of the flour is well mixed.