Phyllo Dough

"Although desserts are not my forte, I wanted to send in this simple yet impressive dessert, which contains only five ingredients," says Debra Anderson of Destin, Florida. "It reminds me of the beautiful pastries displayed in bakery shop windows in France."

This recipe makes more phyllo crisps (the building-block wafers of the napoleons) than you'll need—they can replace any that break along the way and are delicious on their own.

Chinese bean thread noodles (also called cellophane noodles) are often used in Moroccan dishes, like this starter. Their use stems from the influence of a small Vietnamese community in North Africa.

Spinach and Feta Phyllo Triangles

Gail W. Dorsey of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, writes: "Fresh figs were featured in an unusual appetizer at The Gatehouse Restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island. The figs were stuffed with cheese, wrapped in phyllo, and served with two sauces. They would make an impressive starter for a dinner party." This is terrific made with fresh figs when they're in season. But dried ones, which are readily available year-round, work well, too.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 25 min

"My parents and I recently celebrated my mom's birthday at a local restaurant called The Farmhouse," writes Karen Eschenbach of Emmaus, Pennsylvania. "We ended a wonderful meal with an even better dessert—chocolate-peanut butter 'beggars' purses.'" Each elegant phyllo "purse" contains a flourless brownie topped with peanut butter and chocolate ganache.

This is a cozy, fireside kind of winter dessert. The lightness of the fruit and flaky phyllo balance the rich Madeira custard sauce.

Purchased phyllo pastry is used here instead of a regular pie crust for quick and easy assembly. This tart is best when served at room temperature.