Mocha Shortbread Sandwich Cookie with Caramel Filling put Palatine baker in finals

Mocha Shortbread Sandwich Cookie with Caramel Filling won Best in Show at the Daily Herald's Home Baking Challenge on Thursday, Nov. 5, and earned Palatine baker Sarah Cardenas a spot in the finals at America's Baking and Sweets Show in Schaumburg later this month.

Cardenas was among the bakers selected as semifinalists in the paper's third annual baking contest.

Judges included Brian Emmett, 2013 winner of CBS' "The American Baking Competition"; Baking Secrets columnist Annie Overboe; Daily Herald Food editor, Susan Stark; and owner of Nothing Bundt Cakes, Cindy Adams.

Two winners in each of five categories will represent the suburbs at the national baking show Nov. 13 to 15 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center. The Daily Herald's bakers' recipes will be judged at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, and a winner announced in each category.

The complete list of winners will be revealed Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the Food section.

For more about the America's Baking and Sweet Show rules, visit americasbakingandsweetsshow.com.