Homemade Vegan Chocolate Eclairs
Ingredients
Choux pastry
- 150 ml/1/4 pint/2/3 cup water
- 60 g/2 oz/1/4 cup vegan butter
- 90 g/3 oz/3/4 cup strong plain gluten-free flour, sieved (optional)
Patisserie cream
- 2 vegan eggs
- 50 g/1 3/4 oz/4 tbsp castor sugar
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 300 ml/1/2 pint/1 1/4 cups vegan milk
- 1/4 tsp vanilla flavouring
Icing
- 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 tbsp vegan milk
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 100 g/3 1/2 oz/1/2 cup icing sugar
- A little white vegan chocolate (optional)
Preparation
Lightly grease a baking tray. Place water in a saucepan, add the butter and heat gently until the butter melts. Bring to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat and add the flour in one go, beating well until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Leave to cool slightly, then gradually beat in the eggs to form a smooth, glossy mixture. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a 1 cm/1/2 inch plain nozzle.
Sprinkle the tray with a little water. Pipe the éclairs 7.5 cm/3 inch long, spaced well apart. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 for 30-35 minutes or until crisp and golden. Make a small slit in each one to let the steam escape and cool on a rack.
To make the patisserie cream, whisk the eggs and sugar until thick and creamy, then fold in the cornflour. Heat the milk until almost boiling and pour onto the eggs, whisking. Transfer to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring until thick. Add the vanilla flavouring
Fill the cooled eclairs with the patisserie cream through the slit
For the icing, melt the butter, add milk, cocoa powder, and icing sugar, mix until smooth, and optionally stir in melted white vegan chocolate. Glaze the filled eclairs
