Athens Phyllo Shells Make Entertaining So Easy – 6 recipes using Athens Phyllo Shells for desserts, appetizers and brunch.
The phone rings. Friends are stopping by in 30 minutes to hang out and catch up. Wine? Check. Dessert? Nope, nothing ready. Give me 20 minutes and I am all set, thanks to Athens Phyllo Shells.
These ready-to-serve shells are the solution to so many entertaining dilemmas this holiday season. Made from phyllo dough, a light, crispy and tissue thin dough used in Greek cooking, the shells make for the perfect bite size sweet or savory treat to share with guests. They come in three flavors: Natural and now, Graham Cracker and Chocolate.
The great part is all the versatility you have with these shells. If you have ever had spanakopita, the spinach and feta triangles (my Thanksgiving staple!), or baklava, then you know what phyllo dough is as it is the outside of these appetizers/desserts. The fillings for these cups can be anything from chocolate to lemon to pumpkin to cheesecake to jam to cheese to fruit to brunch options like eggs. Honestly, check your fridge and cabinets to see what you have available and get creative. They are easy to find, too, in the freezer section of the grocery store. Major bonus is that since they can be frozen, you are ready when family and friends show up for a visit.
Being creative is a good and bad thing sometimes. In this case, it means I couldn’t make just one or two desserts. I had to come up with a variety of desserts that I thought my guests would enjoy. Everyone wins here!
Phyllo Dough Dessert Recipes
Graham Cracker Shells:
Lemon curd
Brie and fruit
S’mores
Chocolate Shells:
Chocolate covered cherries
Chocolate with toasted coconut cashew butter
(My new favorite find: Betsy’s Best Toasted Coconut with Chia Seeds)
Double chocolate brownie
Here’s an entertaining tip for you. While baking from scratch may be your preference, sometimes the window of time doesn’t agree. Have some boxes of your favorite cake and brownies mixes available for those last minute gatherings. In the chocolate recipes, I used Ghiradelli Brownie Mix. Each shell only needs about a tablespoon of batter. Add your favorite ingredient before pouring the chocolate. a single strawberry or cherry, nuts, peanut butter, etc. Since there is so little batter, they will bake relatively quickly. Instead of the normal 35 minutes for brownies, these are done in about 12-15 minutes. For the S’mores, I baked the brownie batter in the shell first and then placed the marshmallow on top for the last couple minutes.
And a brunch option in Graham Cracker:
Roasted red pepper, shallot and herbs mini quiche with a parmesan crisp
Brunch, buffet or appetizer
As the holiday season approaches, pick up some Athens Phyllo Shells so you are prepared for any guests to stop by. They are convenient, delicious and versatile. How would you fill them? Entertaining made easy! 
