Dubai Chocolate. Photos: Chris Emeott
Try a slice of something new.
When looking at a Basque-style cheesecake for the first time, you’d be forgiven for thinking the cake was a bit, well, overdone. Its trademark exterior belies a rich, custardy interior. “Where this dessert really shines is in that textural variation,” Bilal
Mamdani says. The Maple Grove resident notes that there’s an educational aspect to introducing this style of cheesecake to customers, but, “Once they do try the cheesecake, they’re amazed at the creaminess and the texture.”
Mamdani has always had a sweet tooth. “Then, over [COVID-19]—when things were closed, and we couldn’t go out as much—I decided to dabble in cooking and baking,” he says. The engineer and management consultant discovered that the precision of baking resonated with him. He tried his hand at a number of desserts before landing upon Basque-style cheesecake, which was making the rounds on social media at the time. The unique texture captured his interest, and the science behind getting it right appealed to his analytical nature.
Bilal Mamdani
His friends and family were fans of his early experiments, and Mamdani started to see an opportunity. “I was like, ‘OK, I’ve got a product that my friends and family really like,’” he says. “Let me see if I can try to commercialize it and then leverage those lessons in the other set of work that I do.”
Mamdani founded crème in February 2025 and set to work at Plymouth’s MSP Kitchenery, adapting his recipe to work in commercial ovens. “Everything made a difference,” Mamdani says. “The way we wrap it, there are different methods of using the parchment paper to line the pan, the kinds of pans we used.”
Cookie Butter
The experimentation stage was frustrating, but the community of bakers and makers that call MSP Kitchenery home were supportive of his efforts. “Both [Nikkolette Krumheuer, owner of MSP Kitchenery] and her husband, John [Krumheuer], foster a community of entrepreneurs, and they’re all very helpful,” Mamdani says. He had never used commercial baking equipment before, but people were willing to take time out of their day to show him the ropes. “Then, finally, something clicked, and we were like, ‘OK, I think we’re on the right path now.’”
Classic Basque-style cheesecake topped with raspberries.
crème introduced itself to the community by handing out free slices of its Classic, Cookie Butter and Dubai Chocolate Basque-style cheesecakes. Of those first-time customers, Mamdani says many have become regulars, ordering cakes through the company’s drop system and picking them up at Nikkolette’s Macarons in Plymouth. Mamdani also spent many Sundays at the Linden Hills Farmers Market this past summer, and he’s hoping to get into the Maple Grove Farmers Market for the upcoming season.
Aside from local farmers markets, crème cheesecakes also make pop-up appearances at coffee shops around the Twin Cities, including Càphin in Edina and The Golden Nuts in Columbia Heights. Mamdani’s next goal is to secure a long-term residency at a coffee shop. “If I could have that, then that would hopefully pave the path for [a] brick and mortar of my own,” he says.
What started out as a crash course in launching a startup has evolved into a sustained passion. Although he still does some consulting work on the side, Mamdani is ready to take on crème fulltime. “This ended up being so fulfilling for me that I was like, ‘I want to pursue this,’” he says.
“Where this dessert really shines is in that textural variation.” —Bilal Mamdani
The Menu
Dubai Chocolate
This viral sensation includes shredded phyllo dough, a chocolate hazelnut sauce and drizzled pistachio cream framed by a ring of crushed pistachios.
Cookie Butter
This cake is a Biscoff cookie triple threat, touting infused batter, sauce and cookie crumble topping.
Classic
The original for a reason, this cake features a caramelized exterior and creamy interior. Since it’s not too sweet, it’s also the perfect pick for adding your own toppings.
Seasonal Flavors
Seasonal flavors at crème are designed based on community input. “I typically send out a poll and ask our [customers] what they’d like to see,” founder Bilal Mamdani says. “If we get a good idea and it’s something that we can implement, then we make it, and we invite the community to do a sampling.” Mamdani then incorporates community feedback into the final recipe.
crème
Instagram: @creme_foods
