Vegan Endive Tarte Tatin with Walnut Cream Cheese

Drain the soaked cashews. Blitz the cashews, walnuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, water and a pinch of fine salt in a food processor until completely smooth and spreadable, scraping the sides twice. Refrigerate the walnut cream until needed. Cut the cold puff pastry into a circle just larger than your 24cm oven-safe skillet or tatin dish and return it to the fridge.

Refrigerate the walnut cream and the cut pastry circle for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the caramel and endives.

Preheat the oven to 200°C, or 180°C for a fan oven, or gas mark 6. Place the oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, and lay the endive halves cut-side down. Cook undisturbed for 8–10 minutes until the cut faces are deep golden and caramelised — they should release easily when nudged with tongs.

Flip the endives, add 4 tablespoons of water to the pan, and cook for a further 8 minutes until the water has fully evaporated and the endives are tender throughout. Transfer the endives to a plate, cut-side up, and wipe the skillet clean.

Return the skillet to medium heat, add the caster sugar in an even layer, and cook without stirring for 5–6 minutes until the sugar melts into a deep amber caramel — it should smell nutty with wisps of smoke just appearing at the edges.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the cold vegan butter cubes one at a time until fully incorporated, then stir in the balsamic vinegar, thyme, fine sea salt and black pepper.

Arrange the endive halves tightly cut-side up in the caramel in a single, snug layer, pressing them in firmly. Dot the walnut cream cheese in spoonfuls into the gaps between the endives.

Drape the cold pastry circle over the endives and tuck the edges down inside the rim of the skillet, encasing the filling completely.

Bake for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is deeply golden, puffed, and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the oven and rest in the pan for exactly 5 minutes — no longer or the caramel will set.

Place a large serving plate over the skillet and, in one confident motion, invert the tart onto the plate.

Scatter with toasted walnut pieces and flaky sea salt and serve immediately.