Fasten your aprons and preheat those ovens, because today’s Roller Coaster Kitchen adventure rockets us into the superhero universe of Pym’s Test Kitchen at Disneyland’s Avengers Campus. Our mission? To recreate the legendary “Pym Particle Bread” right in your home kitchen!
This heroically fluffy bread, streaked with a mesmerizing swirl of blue or red Pym Particles, packs the power and taste of the finest white bread you’ve ever encountered. Ready for an adventure of Avenger proportions?
Pym Particle Bread: Super Ingredients
Now, the original bread at Pym Test Kitchen in Avengers Campus isn’t sourdough, but we’re taking advantage of our bubbly sourdough starter that’s eager to be used. And don’t worry about any “sourness”, sourdough breads can be mild too, especially when lovingly combined with butter and milk, as in our recipe, for a fluffy, delightful, and perfectly “white sandwich bread” result. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, just check out the notes below the recipe for the instant yeast modifications. See more about creating your own sourdough starter here.
For your Pym Particle Bread, you will need:
- 25 g ripe sourdough starter
- 1.5 g instant yeast
- Tangzhong (25g bread flour, 100g whole milk)
- 450 g bread flour
- 200 g whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 50 g butter, at room temperature
- 25 g sugar
- 10 grams salt
Pym Test Kitchen’s Super Tools
Just like a superhero, some of these links possess the power to boost my earnings at no extra cost to you when you purchase! Fear not, reader, for we only recommend gadgets and gear that we’ve rigorously tested and deemed fit for a superhero.
1. Pullman Loaf Pans
Our quest for Pym Particle Bread perfection requires just the right gear. We recommend the USA Pan Pullman Loaf Pan with Cover for baking your bread to absolute perfection. While you won’t find this pan in Avengers Campus, it is very versatile! To get a rounded top on your loaf, simply leave the lid off, but to get those perfectly square loaves, bake with the lid on! This recipe works best with a small Pullman pan, but if you want to double it, then a large pan will fit perfectly! These pans are highly rated on Amazon, and they assure an evenly baked, superhero-quality loaf every time.
2. Bosch Universal Plus / Stand Mixer
While you can opt for a “no-knead” method (also called a “stretch and fold” method), a good spiral mixer or kitchen aid will produce the best results and develop gluten in the least amount of time. We recommend the Bosch Universal Plus Mixer, as it has great reviews on Amazon, and is built to handle thick doughs.
3. Food Coloring
For our vibrant Pym Particle effect, you need potent food coloring. Both the Americolor Student Gel Kit and the Ann Clark Food Coloring sets available on Amazon pack the intense color punch needed for that powerful particle swirl. You can also use other brands, just make sure you use a gel food coloring as liquid colorants will add too much moisture to your dough!
Don’t forget you’ll need an oven too!
Avengers Campus: Learning about Tangzhong
As part of our Pym Particle Sourdough Bread adventure, we’ll need to take a quick detour into the world of baking science. Specifically, let’s talk about the mysterious Tangzhong (sounds like something from Kamar-Taj)!
Tangzhong, or water roux, is a secret weapon many bakers use to create super soft and fluffy bread. Originating from Asian baking techniques, it involves cooking a small portion of the flour and liquid (water or milk) in your recipe before adding them to the dough mix. This process transforms the starches in the flour and increases their ability to hold onto water. As a result, the dough becomes softer, fluffier, and retains moisture for longer.
Why is this crucial for our Pym Particle Sourdough Bread, you ask? By using Tangzhong, we are ensuring that our bread has an amazing texture that’s light, fluffy, and not overly dense, typical of some sourdough breads. Plus, it ensures that our bread stays fresh, soft, and delicious for longer.
Remember, while our bread does use sourdough starter, this is not your typical tangy sourdough bread. The Tangzhong method, combined with the use of milk and butter, helps us achieve a mild, slightly sweet, and absolutely delightful bread.
So, that’s a little bit about Tangzhong! It’s our ticket to that special, fluffy texture that makes the Pym Particle Sourdough Bread a true superhero amongst bread! Now, on to the instructions!
Avenger’s Campus – Instructions for Pym Particle Bread
1. Heat
Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the ingredients for your Tangzhong (40g bread flour + 150 g whole milk) and constantly whisk until the mixture begins to thicken (1 – 2 minutes). As soon as your whisk leaves drag lines in the mixture (i.e. you can see the bottom of the pan), remove the mixture from the heat and set it aside to cool. You want it to be a thick paste, but not clumpy. Kind of like wall paper paste/ glue.
2. Combine
Combine the milk, sugar, and salt together in the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a bowl with a whisk). Using the whisk attachment, whisk until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
3. Add
Add the flour, butter, sourdough starter, and cooled Tangzhong into the milk mixture. Switch to the dough hook and mix on slow speed until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Alternatively, you can knead by hand until the dough is combined.
4. Knead
Knead the dough in your stand mixer on medium-high speed until the dough passes the window-pane test (i.e. you can stretch the dough so thin, you can see light through it without the dough breaking)
5. Separate
Separate the dough into two evenly sized portions. Color one portion of the dough either red or blue (depending on which Pym particle you want in your bread), and knead until the color is evenly distributed. Place the two dough balls into separate bowls, and cover with reusable plastic shower caps. Place the dough in the refrigerator overnight, or for 12-14 hours.
6. Shape
Shape the dough after pulling it out of the fridge by rolling the two dough portions into evenly sized rectangles, approximately 7 inches X 18 inches. Place the colored dough rectangle on top of the uncolored dough. Starting at the short end, roll the dough up into a log and place into your small Pullman pan. Reuse the shower cap and cover your loaf, leaving it on the counter to proof at room temperature for 4-6 hours. If you want a flat top to your loaf (a perfectly square loaf), only proof your dough until it is 1/2 -1/4 inch away from the rim of the Pullman Pan and then place the lid on top and bake. If you want a rounded top to your loaf, continue proofing the dough until it is just past the rim of the Pullman pan and then bake.
7. Preheat & Bake
Preheat and Bake: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Once your oven is at temperature place your bread into your oven and bake for 45 – 55 minutes, depending on your oven and how “dark” you want your crust. Bread that is fully baked will have an internal temperature of 190 – 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue baking your bread until it reaches this temperature.
8. Cool & Serve
Once baked, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack (1-2 hours). Slice and serve with PB&J or with whipped butter.
Voila! You’ve just whipped up a loaf of Pym Particle Bread worthy of the Avengers themselves. Now, your breakfasts, lunches, and snacks can possess a little bit of that Pym Test Kitchen magic!
We can’t wait to hear about your baking adventures and see your own Pym Particle Bread creations. Pym Test Kitchen has got us inspired, so keep your ovens warm and your loaf pans at the ready, because Roller Coaster Kitchen has more recipes on the way! Until then, happy baking, and may your kitchens always be filled with superhero fun!
