Banana

Elegant dessert cups from Senses Bakery in Washington, D.C.

These delicious waffles will propel you guilt-free through the morning.

Simple yet sumptuous desserts like this one — where readily available ingredients such as bananas or yams are cooked in sweet coconut milk — are a specialty of Malay cooking. The pudding is traditionally made with pearl sago and palm sugar.

At fenix restaurant in The Argyle hotel in Los Angeles, chef Ken Frank layers the ice cream with spice cake, then tops it with the rum-spiked bananas.

France's classic layered dessert of puff pastry, pastry cream and icing fell out of favor for a while, but it recently experienced a revival. This contemporary version features phyllo instead of puff pastry, an espresso-flavored pastry cream and bananas, which were used in many treats in 1997.

Purchased sorbet, frozen yogurt and pound cake make this the season's quickest elegant dessert.

From Charleston Grill, Charleston, South Carolina.

This cool indulgence is actually made with light cream cheese and low-fat sour cream. Begin preparing it the day before your party.

The classic appetizer incorporates sweet and luscious ingredients for a terrific dessert from ObaChine in Beverly Hills.