1 of 5
2 of 5
3 of 5
4 of 5
5 of 5
'I come from a long line of Nikis,” Niki Gillian, owner of Momma Nik's Cheesecake, laughs. 'And we've always made cheesecake.”
A Florida-native of Greek heritage, Gillian learned her art at an early age, cooking alongside her mother. An only child, she was known as Little Niki; her mom as Big Niki. Big Niki's cheesecake, which adheres to a multi-generation family recipe, always drew raves from friends and neighbors, far and wide.
It wasn't until after Gillian and her husband, Craig, moved to Tennessee that she took up her mother's baking mantle. When their first child entered pre-school, Gillian started bringing the beloved confections to school parties and PTA fundraisers. In no time, folks began flooding her with orders. When The Loveless Cafe wanted to set up a wholesale account, she realized an unanticipated business had emerged, and she decided to take the plunge and rent commercial kitchen space. As the business grew, she sought a larger place with a retail component. Last fall, she found an ideal location shared with Royal Flair Events, already furnished with a baking kitchen. Happily, Gillian was suddenly able to expand her offerings.
In creating her brand, Gillian says, 'The name honors my mom but was coined by Craig.” When she first dated her husband, he told her, 'No way am I calling your mother Big Niki.” His alternative, 'Momma Nik,” stuck and, ultimately, was perfect for the business.
After one bite of Momma Nik's cheesecake, the appeal becomes clear. Unlike a New York-style cheesecake, which can be dense, hers is light and spoon-creamy, possessing a healthy dose of sour cream to give it the right tang. 'And my baking technique is very unusual,” she adds with a wink. 'It's unlike any I've ever seen in a recipe.”
In addition to the original recipe, you can count on her whiskey caramel and raspberry white chocolate cheesecakes, both perennial favorites, to be available at the shop. In the fall, key lime comes off the menu, and seasonal favorites, pumpkin and gingerbread, come on board. Especially popular are her Mason jar-cheesecakes, which she can customize for gifting. Before adding the lush filling, Gillian hand-presses honey-graham crust onto the bottom and sides of each wide-mouth, half-pint jar. 'I believe in a certain ratio of crust to filling,” she says. Post-bake, she seals each jar with a personalized lid, further secured with decorative twine and a petite wooden spoon.
'I love partnering with other companies,” she says. 'It keeps me fresh and creative.”
Such collaborations have led to cheesecakes layered with Loveless's blackberry preserves, topped with blackberry shortbread, and chunked with the chocolate, peanuts, and caramel of Goo Goo Clusters. Her latest brings together Christie Cookies' Southern butter pecan cookie, bittersweet chocolate, and her signature whiskey-caramel sauce.
What's next for Momma Nik's? 'Craig tells me we need something espresso,” Gillian says. 'I'm working on it.”
7024 Church St. E., Brentwood, 904-655-3313; facebook.com/mommanikscheesecake