Remember pigs in a blanket — hot dogs encased in dough? Ontel has created the Piggy Pop Bake Pan, an adorable pink silicone mold that delivers 12 “piggies in blankets,” bite-size versions of that childhood favorite.
>> How it works: It’s just four easy steps, according to the buypiggypop.com website. First, pour batter into molds, then place “your favorite franks or fillings” into the batter. Next, “bake to golden-brown perfection” before popping them out to devour.
However, a very important step — noted in the enclosed instruction booklet — is missing: Greasing the mold. Skip this step and the pig’s features — such as the ears and nose — may not pop out from the mold. I thought peanut butter cookie dough was oily, so I didn’t grease the mold and only a few of the cookies came out with the pig’s face intact.
The booklet also advised filling each cavity 1/8-inch from the top when adding a frank or sausage. But that was too much batter. When I dropped in hot dog pieces and Lit’l Smokies, the mold overflowed. Instead, filling the mold one-third full was better because it could be topped off after the meat was added.
I also found runny batter was the best to work with since it could fill the ear, nose and eye crevices much more easily than thicker batters. And, tapping the mold on the counter before adding meat released air bubbles in the thin liquid. Knowing your batter is also a plus. If you have a recipe that you know makes fluffy pancakes, the batter may rise a lot in the mold, which may create a more rounded piggy. Either way, the piggies are adorable.
>> Does it work?: Yes.
>> Pros: Cute. Easy to use. A few recipes are included in the instruction booklet.
>> Cons: In terms of efficiency, I wish the mold was at least twice the size. A recipe of pancake batter, cookie dough, Jell-O, etc. fills more than the one mold, and using the oven just for 12 little piggies is a waste of electricity. The website does offer a “special limited time offer” of two molds for $19.99, but I think that’s pricey. Recipes for microwavable morsels would have been even better. Another issue is that I had to cut the sausages and hot dogs to fit the mold and usually, the meat was visible on the underside of the pig. While that’s not a big deal since it’s underneath, my finished product didn’t look as perfect as the pictures on the box.
>> Cost and availability: I got mine for $10 at Longs Drugs, but it was the last one on the shelf. It’s also available at amazon.com for $8.99 to $13, plus shipping.
>> Worth it?: Even with all the drawbacks, I still can’t wait to try making chocolate-peanut butter piggies. Or maybe instead of peanut butter, I’ll put a dab of marshmallow creme in the piggies’ tummy. Or, scrambled eggs with cheese and/or bacon filling. If you know people who love all things pig, making them treats with this mold should bring smiles to their faces.
