More Failed Eggless Choux

On LessWrong, baker Jeff K recounts his ongoing struggle to perfect eggless choux pastry—those delicate puffs used in eclairs and cream puffs. Five years after his first failed attempt, he tried again with newly available vegan egg white protein powder. Same result: the batter looked perfect, but refused to puff in the oven. His hypothesis: real eggs contain multiple proteins that set at different temperatures. Some of these proteins gel at just over one hundred forty degrees, forming a flexible crust that traps steam inside. The vegan powder contains only one protein type, so no protective crust forms quickly enough—the steam escapes before the pastry can rise. Next, he's planning to test potato protein isolate and methylcellulose as potential solutions.

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