Made by Lili's opens in North Babylon
Dessert shop Made by Lili's in North Babylon specializes in cheesecake served on sticks. Credit: JJ Photography
For the Hassanin family, a Sunday night baking tradition turned into a business. Inspired by his daughter’s baking capabilities, Tarek Hassanin opened the first Lili’s Bake Shop in Times Square in 2016, and as of this month, a North Babylon offspring called Made by Lili’s.
"We would go out to dinner Saturday night and then we would stay home Sunday night" to bake, Hassanin said. "It became a habit. Everybody loves to bake in the house."
The desserts spot’s specialty is a layered cake that starts with a chocolate chip brownie that’s then layered with cheesecake and is topped with whole Oreos and a final layer of chocolate chip cookie dough. The creation, dubbed Lili’s cheesecake ($9.99), combines Hassanin’s 15-year-old daughter Layan’s favorite desserts.
Layan, the inspiration behind Made by Lili's in North Babylon, and her father, Tarek Hassanin. Credit: JJ photography
Another specialty is an item born during the pandemic at its Manhattan location — cheesecake served on a stick that’s topped with anything from candy and cereal to drizzles of Nutella and peanut butter. At the cheesecake station, customers can select from 16 variations, all of which are first dipped in Ghirardelli milk chocolate. There's a Snickers bar (dulce de leche cheesecake with Snickers, salted caramel and sea salt); an "allergy shot" (New York-style cheesecake with crushed hazelnuts and Nutella); and the Oreo dream (New York-style cheesecake with crushed Oreos, Oreo sauce and white chocolate). These are made-to-order at the counter and cost about $11.
The rest of the menu incorporates common sweets, like cupcakes (some stuffed, some not), cakes that are sold by the slice, mini, or in Mason jars; layered brownies or bars, cannoli, crème brûlée and the like. Thirteen-year-old Adam, Hassanin’s son, bakes the shop’s cookies, which range from black and white to over-the-top chocolate chip cookies stuffed and topped with Nutella.
All baking is done on-site at the narrow Tiffany-blue shop for grab-and-go service (there’s no seating).
Layan, who to this day remembers when her father "bought me my first apron and hat" at four years old, said she is "planning on taking over the business and expanding … maybe in the near future."
Made by Lili’s shares Sunset Plaza shopping center with Uncle Giuseppe’s, the Pretzel Factory and Pizzaiola. It’s open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight. Find it at 1160 Deer Park Ave. in North Babylon. More info: 631-392-1500; madebylilis.com
