Desserts Archives - Nerds with Knives

Bailey’s Cookies and Cream Parfaits

April 25, 2021March 7, 2021 by Emily

Back in the early days of our relationship, I may have poked some good-natured fun at Matt for being what I would call a “Prom Drinker”. A prom drinker, for those of you who don’t know, is someone who would walk up to a sophisticated bar and ask for a Malibu Sunset, a Midori Sour, or, God forbid, a Mudslide. Matt was nowhere near that embarrassing, but the first time he ordered a Bailey’s on the rocks, I pinched his cheek and called him adorable. And then I tasted it and was like, hot damn, that’s really good.

Bailey’s Irish Cream was invented in 1971, so it can’t really be classified as “classic Irish drink”, but it’s no less delicious for it. It’s rich and creamy, with a whisky bite tempered to a dessert-like sweetness. An indulgence all by itself. So why not use it as the inspiration for a St. Patrick’s Day dessert: Bailey’s parfaits?

Holiday Recipe Roundup 2019

May 7, 2020December 21, 2019 by Emily

Christmas with Egg Nog — Real Homemade Eggnog

The holiday season wouldn’t be the same without homemade eggnog, gooey baked brie, perfectly crisp and juicy roast pork, and many more of our favorite celebratory dishes we’ve collected in this Christmas / New Year recipe roundup!

Seasonal greetings, Nerdlings!

We’re spinning around the kitchen like wild dervishes making Christmas cookies and a million pounds of toffee (and other Christmas and New Year snacks), but we just had a few minutes’ break to put together a round-up of some of our favorite holiday treats for you. From how to make the perfect Cheese and Charcuterie Board to what to make for breakfast the day after your New Year’s Eve party!

These are our festive picks for all winter gatherings, including drink suggestions, appetizers, entrees, desserts and sweet treats, and some party snacks that will serve you for any festive shindig!

We wish you the happiest of winter holidays and the very merriest of New Years, and we’ll see you in 2020!

Love, Emily, Matt and Arya

Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake

February 15, 2022June 17, 2016 by Matt

A gorgeous and rich, cheesecake, flavored with rum and vanilla and topped with a summery compote of strawberries and rhubarb.

Hello Nerdlings!

Sometimes I wonder if we’re quite nerdy enough on this blog. I worry that our readers, steeped as are Westerosian Meisters in the lore of SF and fantasy, will flit from recipe to recipe, searching in vain for just the right clue that, yes, we too know the exact galactic co-ordinates of Gallifrey (*10-0-11-00 by 02), we have read The Silmarillion (*Needed more dragons and fewer diacritics) and we have a perfect theory to reconcile, entirely within the Blake’s Seven mythos, Stephen Greif’s depiction of Travis vs Brian Croucher’s (*I have discovered a truly remarkable proof along these lines, which this blog is too small to contain).

Is it not enough to show you our collection of Alan Moore’s 2000AD, DC Comics and Vertigo works, including not only the obvious Swamp Thing, Promethea and Ballad of Halo Jones but early Doctor Who Weekly? Must we dig out our Battlestar Galactica DVDs? Have we not mentioned that we named one of our pets (Arya) after a Game of Thrones character, and another (Bascule the Rascule) after the protagonist in the best of darling Iain M. Banks’ SF (although non-Culture) books, Feersum Enjinn?

Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake — Don’t worry. We WILL be talking about strawberries and rhubarb soon. Promise.

Insanely Delicious Key Lime Pie

March 14, 2021May 29, 2015 by Emily

Insanely Delicious Key Lime Pie — Tasting Key Lime Pie instantly makes me feel like I’m on vacation. It’s decadent, refreshing and just plain old fun.

It’s possible that I have scurvy because recently I cannot get enough citrus. And not like regular old lemons and grapefruits. Fancy fruit. Last week it was kumquats. This week, key limes.

The fact that they are both adorably wee versions of regular-sized fruit may have something to do with it. I admit it. I am undeniably attracted to Lilliputian produce.

Now I’m going to tell you a secret about key lime pie. You actually don’t need key limes to make it. Regular, grocery-store Persian limes taste just as delicious. I had never seen fresh key limes before (and they weren’t that expensive) so I decided to go for it but don’t fret if you can’t find them.

Mini Phyllo Cups with Cappuccino Cream

January 19, 2021December 12, 2014 by Matt

Crunchy, buttery phyllo shells filled with rich, smooth cappuccino cream. Make lots of these bite-sized lovelies because they will go quickly (if they even make it out of the kitchen).

I don’t know if it’s a weird inverted class thing, but I’m always hesitant to make and promote a recipe that sounds – let’s say a bit too fancy. I imagine serving it up to a family of simple Northern playwrights and gauging their reaction. Would my guests nibble appreciatively while explaining how the semiotic thickness of a performed text varies with the redundancy of auxiliary performance codes? Or would they prod at the food uncomprehendingly and declare that they remembered this town when it were all fields? It’s always in the back of my mind, that.

And then I found this recipe and thought, sod it, let’s do this.