Mixed Review: Williams-Sonoma Sugarplum Crumble Specialty Bread Mix
Christmas is here, and 'tis the season of splurging—when it comes to both cash and calories. On a recent shopping trip to Williams-Sonoma I couldn't resist picking up a box of this Sugarplum Crumble Specialty Bread Mix, which promised to be "a festive bread studded and swirled with sweet plums and topped with crystallized ginger streusel." The price seemed at little steep at $14.00, but the friendly sales associate persuaded me, with much eye rolling and gesticulation, saying that it was "brand new and absolutely amazing." Since I had offered to bring dessert to an upcoming holiday party, I figured, why not? Bread, loaf cake—what's the difference?
The box consisted of three packets: streusel mix, plum powder, and bread mix. First, I had to mix the streusel in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Like magic, the fine crumbs morphed into larger, chunky crumbles. It was like preparing the topping for apple crisp, but without the mess of mashing up all that butter with your fingertips.
Next, I mixed the plum powder (which looked a lot like the contents of a packet of Kool-Aid) with 2 1/2 tablespoons of water. The mixture came out a bit runny and grainy. I couldn't detect any real plum flavor, but it tasted pleasantly of sugar and cinnamon.
Finally, I combined the bread mix in a large bowl with a stick of melted butter, a bit of water, and a couple of eggs. Like most standard cake mixes, it blended effortlessly with only a few turns of a wooden spoon. While the instructions recommended merely greasing and flouring the baking pan the batter looked a bit soupy to me, so I took the extra step of lining the bottom with parchment. (Better safe than stuck, I always say.)
Creating the "swirls" of sugarplum was similar to making cream cheese brownies: I drizzled the plum mixture over the bread batter and then drew a knife through it, which created a lovely effect, similar to a Jackson Pollock canvas. After sprinkling the streusel on top, I slid the pan into the oven for the requisite 65 to 70 minutes. It took my loaf an extra five minutes (75 in total) before a toothpick came out clean, but when it did the cake was perfectly golden and had a lovely buttery aroma.
The streusel looked a bit precarious, and I was somewhat worried it would fall of when I tipped the pan to remove the cake. Surprisingly, while there were a few wayward crumbles, the vast majority stayed in place.
The final results were simple and elegant, like a glorified pound cake. The loaf was dense and moist, with distinct cinnamon and walnut flavors. While the sugarplum wasn't as prominent as I had hoped, it did impart a subtle, syrupy flavor. Best of all, not a single one of my friends guessed that their dessert was anything short of homemade. It was met, and subsequently devoured, with an enthusiastic chorus of "yums."
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13 Comments:
That looks delicious especially for a mix. My mom always kept a spare cake mix in the cupboard for emergencies. I do, too, so I might pick one of these up.
saraann at 11:16AM on 12/18/08
For $14 that loaf cake better have been good. I love WS, believe me, (If money were no object, I'd be in there all the time) but this is just another example of the ridiculously over-priced stuff that they get away with, somehow. Am I the only one annoyed with that???
juliebugsmama at 11:29AM on 12/18/08
$14 is awfully steep--you could go to good bakery for that and probably get something just as good (and even less work if that's your concern). I love WS too but stopped buying their mixings after I spent $18 for a brining mix for my turkey and felt stupid for doing it! Ahh the impulse purchase! It's just everything LOOKS so good in there, and it is good, but...
smallblondemom at 11:38AM on 12/18/08
I've always felt that their mixes/chocolates are more gift items versus self-use. You can get or make equivalent/better, but it's packaged nicely so you're not giving someone a Ziploc bag of sifted flour. I think of it like going to Godiva and being surprised at the price of their hot chocolate mixes.
Cassaendra at 11:59AM on 12/18/08
It looks fantastic... I might buy one and then try to replicate it with other (les-expensive) ingredients.
SSG Snuffy at 12:01PM on 12/18/08
Plum powder?!
mongoose at 12:33PM on 12/18/08
Word @ Cassaendra. I spend a lot of time at W-S, and most people I see buying specialty mixes are giving gifts. Like the piecrust mix.......what else do you need in a piecrust that would be shelf stable other than flour? They add a bit of sugar and vanilla, but the big thing is the box. So classy looking.
The Gingerbread Bundt cake and the Lemon Bundt cake are my favorites.
amanda0730 at 12:49PM on 12/18/08
that would probably be even better with real plums. mmm.
Christina at 1:20PM on 12/18/08
@mongoose: clearly it reconstitutes into plums. Isn't that how all powders work? Powdered milk+water=milk and so on.
So I guess WS sales associates get to try out the products huh? Or are they just trained to recommend everything?
wunami at 3:17PM on 12/18/08
I used to work at W-S and we got to taste whatever we were sampling for the day. Most of us who worked there had gotten the job solely for the employee discount - I can't bring myself to pay full price for lots of the wonderful stuff W-S sells.
disbelief11 at 10:06PM on 12/18/08
I work at WS now and boy is the employee discount awesome! The mixes are ridiculously overpriced. Most of the stuff you can easily make at home from scratch at half the price.
sillylil at 1:55AM on 12/19/08
@wunami: But... milk starts out as a liquid. this just seems as if it would have a peculiar texture.
mongoose at 4:10AM on 12/19/08
This weekend my daughter and I are preparing Gifts in a Jar...we have chosen "Sand Art Brownies" and S'Mores Squares". We got te recipes from SE. We will give them as gifts to co-workers. We chose the easiest recipes (no beaters needed) only add egggs and/or vegetable oil. I haven't calculated how much each gift costs, but I would guess $3-$4 including container. And it will be fun.
elaine nan at 12:22PM on 12/19/08