The best desserts are those that are simple to make and allow for plenty of variation.

So I was thrilled when I recently was introduced to the syllabub (SILL-uh-bub), a creamy mousse-like dessert that takes just a few minutes to make, yet rarely is heard of in the United States. Let's change that.

The syllabub dates back some 500 years in England, where it originated as a frothy blend of milk, alcohol, sugar and spices. At some point the preferred means of preparation involved milking a cow directly into a bowl or jug of wine or hard cider.

So glad we've moved beyond that.

Though it started life as a beverage, the syllabub evolved into a dessert eaten with a spoon as cream supplanted the milk. Today, most syllabubs have abandoned milk entirely in favor of heavy cream.

Heavy cream is whipped with a little powdered sugar until voluminous and thick. A dash of sparkling wine or other alcohol then is whipped into it.

For my variation, I decided to use limoncello and orangecello, syrupy and intensely flavored Italian liqueurs. I then spooned the mixture into serving cups and topped them with a bit of lemon or orange zest. Delicious and gently sweet.

But that's just a start. Syllabubs could be drizzled with chocolate syrup (or any other type). You could fold finely crushed cookies into them. Or serve it over angel food cake. For a sober variation, whip coffee syrup into the cream instead of alcohol.

Serving note: At heart, this dessert is a bowl of flavored whipped cream. A little goes a long way.

SYLLABUB