Vegan Cashew Cheese Gougères

Soak the raw cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain and rinse. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C or 400°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift the flour onto a sheet of parchment. Measure out the aquafaba into a jug and let it sit at room temperature.

Blend the drained cashews, nutritional yeast, white miso, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder, black pepper, and 1 tbsp cold water in a high-speed blender until completely smooth and paste-like, scraping down the sides as needed. Set the cashew cheese aside.

Combine the water, oat milk, vegan butter, fine sea salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a rolling boil, stirring until the butter is fully melted.

Remove the pan from the heat, add all the flour at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains and a rough dough forms.

Return the pan to medium heat and cook the panade, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until it pulls away cleanly from the sides and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan — this step is essential for driving off moisture.

Transfer the panade to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer) and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until the dough has cooled to below 60°C and is no longer steaming.

With the mixer running on medium, add the aquafaba in a slow, steady stream, about 2 tbsp at a time, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next — the dough is ready when it is glossy, smooth, and falls from the paddle in a thick, slow ribbon.

Fold in two-thirds of the cashew cheese with a spatula until evenly distributed through the dough.

Transfer the choux dough to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm round nozzle and pipe 4cm mounds onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 4cm apart. Smooth any peaks with a dampened fingertip.

Dot a small amount of the remaining cashew cheese onto the top of each mound, brush the sides lightly with oat milk, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Bake on the middle and upper shelves for 22-25 minutes until the gougères are deep golden brown, fully puffed, and sound hollow when tapped on the base — do not open the oven in the first 18 minutes or they will collapse.

Turn the oven off, prop the door open 2-3cm with a wooden spoon, and leave the gougères inside for 5 minutes to set their shells before serving warm.