Mango

In Indian restaurants, lassi is served with the meal, but we frequently find this exotic "smoothie" too filling to accompany a main course and prefer it in place of dessert. Look for the smaller, yellow-skinned mangoes, which have a more pronounced flavor than the larger, red and green ones.

"The last time we went to Las Vegas," writes Timothy Arndt of Austin, Texas, "I took my girlfriend out to dinner at Olives in the Bellagio, and we were both impressed with the food and the gorgeous setting. Best of all was dessert — we shared a creamy and exotic coconut rice pudding with tropical fruit." Use any leftover macaroon crumble over ice cream or fresh fruit.

Colorful salsas and relishes made with fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs became popular in this decade of diets. The toppings are light and fresh and packed with flavor-just right with grilled low-fat fish.

Simply omit the ginger for a classic crème brûlée. A small blowtorch (made for the kitchen) is a useful gadget for caramelizing the sugar topping. You can also broil the custards until the sugar turns dark brown.

You can decorate all the cones the same way or do each one differently. If time is short, simply use purchased ice cream.

A luscious tropical treat enhanced with a delicious crust made of gingersnap cookies and macadamia nuts. Begin preparing this one day before you plan to serve it.

Mangoes are a delicious tropical addition to this tangy-sweet dish.

Ultra-rich mascarpone in the batter produces an extraordinarily creamy cheesecake. The cheesecake must be chilled at least six hours before serving.

This eye-catching fruit mélange also includes kiwi, which isn't tropical but is very colorful and refreshing. Using store-bought sorbet makes this even easier to prepare.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A rich cheesecake filling is baked in a tart crust for an elegant twist on a favorite.