I’ve tried several recipes for vegan eclairs and not one has lived up to my standard
My Standard:
Vegan recipes must be ~at the very least~ an 85% match to the original.
Meaning my non vegan friends who taste it must exclaim “there is no way this is vegan!”
So out of all the various recipes from fellow bloggers that I’ve tried over the years, not one was making the grade
Any one who knows anything about classic pastry knows that pâte à choux dough is a very egg rich dough
Relying heavily on the eggs in the recipe to bake up into those hollow shells of pastry we all love!
In 2018 I made vegan eclairs with great success, until they failed.
BACKSTORY:
The original recipe that I developed back in early 2018 used a combination of aquafaba and a proprietary blend called Vegan Egg from Follow Your Heart
This Vegan Egg by FYH was developed somewhere around 2014 and was widely sold here in the US by late 2015
It was one of the first vegan egg products ever on the market that mimicked so closely to a real egg.
After months of testing and finally nailing down a perfect rendition of pâte à choux paste
Follow Your Heart almost immediately changed the formula of The Vegan Egg by replacing the algal flour with soy milk powder!
Algal flour seemed to be causing gastrointestinal distress in many people so they discontinued it’s use.
But now my recipe no longer worked and I was gutted.
FAST FORWARD:
It has been almost 5 years since I decided to revisit the vegan eclair issue
Other bloggers and recipe developers had been claiming to have “the perfect vegan eclair”
So I thought, “oh well, who really needs another recipe then?”
But I’ve tried several of those recipes more recently which is why I am back here today
After trying several of what is touted to be “the perfect vegan eclair” I was left frustrated and re-invigorated.
Promptly I decided “someone has to be truthful about having the perfect vegan eclair, and that someone is going to be me.”
What Makes a Perfect Eclair?
Pâte à choux paste is a dough that is made first on the stove by boiling water and/or milk with butter a spot of sugar and a pinch of salt
Flour is mixed into that and a stiff dough is formed
This dough gets transferred to a mixing bowl where the eggs are added one by one while mixing and then this stiff dough is transformed into the beautiful paste that gets piped and then baked at a high temperature
This high temperature converts the liquids and eggs in the recipe to steam causing rapid rising as the steam escapes and evaporates
Leaving behind a hollow center and a delicate yet crispy pastry shell that is ready to be filled with whipped cream lightened pastry cream.
Cream, puffs get a sprinkle of powdered sugar and eclairs get dipped in chocolate
What Makes this one 85% Acceptable?
My recipe for Vegan Eclairs would be 100% acceptable if they did not deflate after baking.
Other than that, it’s a 100% WIN!
Maybe I’m being hard with the 85% tag, since no one but me would know they deflated anyway!
The taste, the crisp outer shell and the slight “eggy” matrix that remains in that otherwise hollow shell
Allowing for a hefty amount of pastry cream filling without making them soggy!
We must also talk about the pastry cream!
I am using the recipe I always use for everything custard!
However this time I did not fold in the vegan whipped cream as I usually do, which would then make it a Diplomat Cream
You can of course lighten it up with whipped cream if you wish but typically eclairs are straight pastry cream
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Notes for Success:
The updated recipe below includes 3 ingredients that are perhaps not already in your pantry but are the essential keys to success of this recipe
Chick Pea Flour is the binding ingredient that also helps with the lightness and ultimate rise of the shell
Methocel is a thickener and a stabilizer that is not an essential ingredient here if you do not want to buy it
I’ve made this recipe without it with the result being slightly more “bread-like”
But bread-like eclairs is not an 85% pass in my book, so I definitely use it.
Xanthan Gum we rely on xanthan gum to provide elasticity and stickiness in our doughs and batters.
It aids as a binding agent for the flour, helps hold onto some moisture, and helps give the baked good some structure.
I have made this recipe without it with the result being slightly more “bread-like” again,which is not an 85% pass in my book, so I definitely use this as well.
I rarely use the convection setting in my oven, but when I am baking things that need an extra “oomph” I’ll use that setting.
Here I baked at 450°F convection setting for 15 minutes then turned down to 400°F convection setting 24 more minutes
If you are using CONVENTIONAL oven (no fan setting) keep it at 450°F for 24 minutes then turn down to 375°F for the last 12 minutes
**this instruction may be different from what I said in the video!
For both methods though: Cool in oven after shutting it off for another 5 minutes
Cornstarch is a very difficult ingredient to measure consistently with a volume spoons measure
So while I list both measures below I cannot stress enough how the grams measure with a scale is going to give you the best results.
By using cake flour instead of all purpose flour this is going to give a lighter puffier outcome to the shells
If you do not have cake flour you can use self rising flour but omit the salt and remove 1 entire teaspoon of the baking powder listed below
Or use all purpose flour and omit the chickpea flour altogether
It is really helpful to watch the video tutorial linked below to see all the subtle details that can only be captured on video versus describing here in written text.
WATCH THE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE ECLAIRS & CREAM PUFFS
Vegan Eclairs
Ingredients
For the Pate a Choux
- Plant Milk 1 cup (237ml) *I use soy
- Vegan Butter 2 Tablespoons (28g)
- Sugar 4 teaspoons
- Salt pinch
- Chick Pea Flour 1 Tablespoons (6g)
- Cold Water ½ cup (118ml)
- Aquafaba ½ cup (118ml)
- Cake Flour 1 cup (120g)
- Baking Powder 3 teaspoons
- Baking Soda 1 teaspoon
- Xanthan Gum ¼ teaspoon *see notes
- Methycellulose a.k.a Methocel ½ teaspoon (1g) *see notess
- Apple Cider Vinegar 1 teaspoon (5ml)
For the Diplomat Pastry Cream
- Plant Milk 1½ cups (360ml)
- Granulated Sugar ½ cup (100g)
- Cornstarch 4 Tablespoons (36g)
- Agar powder ½ teaspoon
- Vegan Butter 2 Tablespoon (28g)
- Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoon (10ml)
- Vegan Whipped Cream 1 cup (240ml) *optional for the cream puffs
Instructions
- Prepare the custard in advance so it is cold and ready to pipe once the eclairs are done baking & fully cooled.
- Prepare the pastry cream custard by combining the sugar with the cornstarch & agar powder and then add that to the plant milk in a large sauce pot
- Bring everything to a full rolling boil over medium to high heat whisking constantly to avoid scorching
- Once it comes to a full boil remove from the heat and add the vegan butter and the vanilla extract, whisk smooth
- Transfer the hot custard to a large mixing bowl to cool before filling the eclairs & puffs
- Refrigerate until ready to fill
- Next Preheat the oven to 425°F and make the Pate Choux Dough
- Combine the plant milk with the vegan butter, sugar and pinch of salt in a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil
- In a 2 cup measuring glass combine the aquafaba & the water with the apple cider vinegar
- In a medium bowl combine the all purpose & chick pea flours, baking powder, methocel & xantham gum
- Once the plant milk mixture comes to a full boil, add the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon.
- The mixture may bubble up slightly so be sure that you have a large enough pot to accommodate everything.
- Stir the dry flour mixture into the liquids in the sauce pot until everything is incorporated as best as possible
- Then transfer the entire mixture to a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment (a hand beater will be fine here)
- On low speed add about ¼ cup at a time of the aquafaba/water/acv mixture allowing the dough to absorb everything before the next addition
- Repeat until all the liquid is used and the dough is soft and sticky and looks like thick mashed potatoes.
- Transfer this choux paste to a pastry bag fitted with a round tube or I just use a coupler & no tip inserted and pipe 3" long logs (or rounds for cream puffs) onto a silicone mat
- Bake in a preheated 450°F convection oven setting for 15 minutes then turn down to 400°F convection setting 24 more minute
- The turn the oven off and let them cool inside for 5 minutes
- Remove from the oven and cool completely
- Fill with pastry cream
- Dip the tops of the filled eclairs in melted chocolate and drizzle with white chocolate
- Add a rosette of whipped cream to the cream puffs *optional
Notes
I rarely use the convection setting in my oven, but when I am baking things that need an extra "oomph" I'll use that setting.
Here I baked at 425°F convection setting for 12 min then turned down to 400°F convection setting 12 minutes, then 350°F convection setting for another 12 minutes.
If you are using CONVENTIONAL oven (no fan setting) keep it at 425°F for 24 minutes then turn down to 375°F for the last 12 minutes.
For both methods though: Cool in oven after shutting it off for another 10 minutes
Storage:
Eclairs must be kept refrigerated and can be stored for up to 1 week.
Unfilled shells can be stored in the freezer in a ziploc bag for up to 2 months
Is there a substitute for the follow your heart vegan egg?
Hi Diane, I noted this in the blog post:
I know right away many of you will ask me what you can use instead of the vegan egg by Follow Your Heart and unfortunately this was the winning combination to make this recipe work out correctly.
This is the way the recipe works perfectly, so if you can’t get it or don’t want to buy it I would sadly say to go ahead and try the other recipes floating around the internet like I did, but I will warn you they are just not going to be like this!
I don’t see the follow your heart egg replacement in the recipe
This is a completely new recipe that has been updated in 2022. It no longer used FYH egg replacer. I write about it here in the blog post as well as talk about it in the video tutorial
I used an equal amount of flaxseed meal (just the flaxseeds without the water you often use with them) and that worked really well
Can you tell me how you did this? Did you use flaxseed meal with the vegan egg or on its own? Thank you!
What altitude was this made at? I am in colorado springs and I worry the recipe wont work if I adjust the recipe.
Im in Pennsylvania
Cannot wait to try to make them! Wow. I miss eclairs so much. I wonder what chocolate coating you are using and if that white part is just melted white chocolate? And the last question is if you would by any chance have a caramel glaze recipe for the eclairs. I am dreaming about a pastry from my childhood that consisted of choux pastry filled with a whipped cream and vanilla custard and there was a layer of a caramel glaze on the top. Thank you!!!!!!
Woops sorry! I just updated the blog post (forgot to add the ganache recipe ) or you can use melted chocoalte and I use this vegan white chocolate here
Perhaps you can use this caramel here?
Coconut caramel is actually very easy to make 🙂 the same way you’d make regular caramel, you just sub in coconut milk or coconut cream. So whatever your favourite recipe is use that 🙂
I can’t wait to try your Vegan Eclair recipe Gretchen it looks fabulously yummy!
thank you!!!
If I were to try to make a lemon curd with your creme pat recipe should I sub out some of the water or milk for lemon juice (and add zest to the sugar) or just add in extra juice?
Yes you can use lemon juice for half of the milk and yes to zest
thank you 🙂
Hi can I check did you use baking Powder as opposed to baking soda? My mixture did froth up as expected… Also in the video says that you add the Aquafaba after the vinegar/baking Powder but in the written recipe I think it’s the other way round (Aquafaba first then baking Powder and vinegar). Does it matter which way you do it? Thank you!
Hi Marcia! Thanks, just one note first that you read about the vegan egg by Follow Your Heart being different since I developed this recipe, the new Soy formula is causing this recipe to fail…
So that being said- THANK YOU for catching that! I updated the post to reflect the video instruction!
Hi! Any news on how to make the vegan eclair recipe? Is there a substitute for the Follow your heart egg?
I have not found a suitable replacement yet
Have you tried just egg?
No I have not, I have to revisit this recipe. I was so upset whan FYH changed their formula that I relied on and worked out this recipe for sooooo long, that I just put it aside and didn’t want to go back! LOL
“When the news hit that our algal ingredient supply would be going away, we went back to the kitchen and found a way to deliver more protein while keeping the same great taste and texture that we’ve all come to love. We found an organic soymilk that functions the same in every way” i hope it can still work.
Hello! Could someone confirm that the new Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg (with soy milk) does not work with this recipe? Has anyone tried it since the company changed the ingredients? I just tried one of the many vegan pâte à choux recipes on the internet and what it yielded was decidedly not choux pastry. I would like to try this recipe, but am fearful that the altered Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg is going to yield another frustrating disappointment.
HI There, it has not been working out! I also have tried several recipes (as I explained in blog post and in the video) and none were to my liking either. Once I developed this recipe with the Original formula FYH I was so pleased, only to be knocked down shortly after with their new changed formula!! Ugggghhh
Uggggghhh is right! I was so excited to try yours. Well, fingers crossed you will work your magic and find a brilliant solution. (Thank you for replying to my question so quickly too!)
hi! i successfully made this recipe with the new vegan egg with soy. the shells came out hollow like the video but they were very fragile and possibly needed to be baked more. i followed the recipe exactly but i think baking them at a lower temperature would firm them up more and brown them without burning the top, which is what almost happened to me. good luck!
I tried to make the eclair but the recipe failed. Have u had the chance to try it again and replaced the new “follow your heart” vegan egg? It make the all thing doughy and not light at all ……
I have not had success with another formula, sorry
Hello, thank you for posting the recipe. Sadly, I also didn’t have much luck with the recipe, the choux collapsed once out of the oven, and while yummy they had no body.. I have been trying for years to make vegan eclairs and never have had any success. However, the recipe for the creme patisserie was delicious.
Hi sorry to ask such repetitive questions, but just out of curiosity have you tried just egg yet for this recipe? I know you said you’ve tried other egg replacers wo success, I’m wondering if just egg was one of them? Thank you!
Best
HI, hey no problem!! Thanks for checking out the recipe, sadly no.. I have not tried it 🙁
I have a question about the amount of FYH egg replacer I should use. You call for 3 TBSP of the powder and you note that the this is equivalent to 12 grams. However, when I weigh out the FYHeart egg replacer, 12 grams is only 2 TBSPs.
Not sure how much I should use.
Thanks for clarifying!
Hey there, since we all weigh & measure slightly differently based on how firmly or lightly we pack ingredients into volume measures (and why volume measure is never a great way to go) always follow the authors amounts for the weight, since again you may be packing it more or less than I did
That said, please read the note on this blog post regarding FHY changing their formula for this egg replacer almost immediately after I nailed this recipe! So frustrating, and I have not found a work-around for a recipe that works. Sorry!
The only vegan (not gluten free) chocolate eclair recipe worth actually trying and FYH had to go and change their recipe 😭 have you tried the JUST egg?? I have a little of that left in my fridge and wana give it a try. Someone said in the comments less heat and more time? Maybe that?
I know, I was gutted as I worked so hard on that recipe for SO LONG!! So no, I had not tried the Just after that.
Let me know if you do! There is a group on Facebook called Aquafabulous Baking the SOY WHEY. Moira is the most fantastic vegan baker I have ever come across and she shares all her recipes (but only in the facebook group)
Hi Gretchen
Just in case you don’t know it yet. I just found out about a product called Panaceg which is another vegan egg substitute. I found it by chance when surfing youtube and coming across a video by “Vegan Gastronomy” making eclairs. From what they said they do ship the product all over the world, so I figured you might be interested to give this one a try since I was sorry to assume you were rather frustrated with FYH egg substitutes and changes therein. 🙂
All the best!
I have tried your recipe, followed exactly according to the instructions.
But after baking, the insides were hollow but still some parts not done and doughy, and it stayed like this even after I added 10 more baking minutes. It was not edible.
It leads me to think I may have done something wrong, but I can’t think of what it is!
Any idea?
Hi, I’m not sure that you read the entire post?
After formulating this recipe for many months and perfecting it, this happened::
*UPDATE on the Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg- I have been getting several people lately telling me that this recipe has not been working out for them.
My First suspicion is that soon after I formulated this recipe (and several others using Vegan Egg) Follow Your Heart changed the formula by replacing the algal flour with soy milk powder!
I have not been able to get my hands on the new updated formula with the soy, I did have great success with the original formula so I will say that if you have the new SOY formula, you may want to hold off on this recipe until I can confirm that is or is not, the problem!
If you are on facebook, Moira Wright has a great recipe she has perfected the Vegan Eclair on her page called Aquafabulous, Baking the Soy Whey
I actually did not notice that information!
I assume the vegan egg I recently purchased is the updated version of the product.
Thanks for the reply.
I’m completely unfamiliar with methocel and I’m trying to make sure I buy the correct product. In your video for pâte à choux, it looks like you use Modernist Pantry Methocel E4M, but the Amazon link in this post goes to Modernist Pantry Methocel F50. Should I get the one you use in your video?
I look forward to trying this. I haven’t had an eclair or cream puff in over 25 years!
Super excited to try this out. I have a question, though. When I use the convection setting on my oven, it automatically converts to 25 degrees less than the entered setting. Should I set it to 450 so it’s baking at 425 in the convection or set it to 425 to bake at 400 in the convection?
I made these today substituting psyllium powder for the xantham gum and methycellulose. They didn’t seem to collapse, but also didn’t rise much – I think my oven is a bit warmer than yours (also my piping technique could use some improvement). They are definitely hollow, but browner than I expected them to be. Not yet ready for bake-off.
Ok good to know that sub in “kinda worked”? LOL
Hi Gretchen, thank you for this recipe. I tried making them, but unfortunately didn’t work – they were flat and raw which I think is more my oven’s fault than anything else. Before I try again, I just wanted to confirm the chickpea flour quantity. For me 19g is equiv to 1 tablespoon, not three like in the recipe. I was following the gram measurements so stuck to 19g but my mixture was more runny than yours in the video. I wonder if it may have needed more chickpea flour? Thanks a lot! 🙂
Hey Karolina!
I had the exact same issue – eclaires and bignet came out completely flat and raw. Did you manage to work out what went wrong?
Hi, I tried the recipe and it didn’t work. The custard was lovely – way better than the shop bought kind I’ve been having since I turned vegan. However, the choux bun wasn’t great. It collapsed in the oven and was raw in the middle whilst burnt on the edges – I tried it in various sizes, but they all did the same thing, just in different time scales. I didn’t substitute any ingredients and each step had the texture you described throughout. Also, the dough had a faint taste of chickpea flour, which of course was masked by the custard’s sweet vanilla flavour. I have a fan oven – and followed the baking times exactly too. I didn’t open the oven door at any point so that couldn’t have caused the collapse either.
It’s a shame because the recipe looked promising but I guess I won’t be having eclairs unless I go to a vegan patisserie in France. I will make the custard again though, it was lovely.
Hi there, thank you for the comment! I’m sorry these didn’t turn out! It sounds as if you did everything exactly correct!
While I have had good success with rising & hollow fully cooked insides, these will collapse upon cooling, but nothing that isn’t corrected by filling up with the custard.
I’m sorry I don’t have better advice since it seems you did everything correct
Hi Gretchen!
I’m very excited to make these vegan eclairs!
Did you removed any eggs substitutes from this recipe? I see in the early comments you were talking about that
Hey there, thank you for first reading through the post & comments to get a better understanding of this recipe!
This is an updated recipe though, so most likely the comments you read were from the first go at it in 2018?
That said, be sure to watch the new video CLICK HERE where I explain the new ingredients and method for succcess!
**also written at length in the notes for success here on the recipe post
I watched the video and was so excited to try it. It didn’t work at all and I used all of the ingredients and followed along with the video. I don’t have a convection oven so I followed the instructions for conventional oven to the letter. So bummed
What kind of whipped cream do you use? I’ve tried whipping coconut cream in the past and it didn’t stiffen up…
Yes the Vegan Whipped Cream “debacle” CLICK HERE for all the comparisons
Sorry if I missed it in the comments but I see in the video you don’t add baking soda but on the recipe it’s in there. Do we add it in our flour mix or no?
Hi thanks for pointing that out! Yes this written recipe is correct! The baking soda gives it an added PUNCH!