Preheat and prep: Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you're using a worn-out baking sheet that's seen better days (we've all been there), maybe add a second sheet underneath to prevent burning.

Make the base: In a medium saucepan, combine water, vegan butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Is your kitchen already smelling amazing? Just wait.

Add the flour: Once boiling, remove from heat and add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Return to low heat and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to dry out the dough. Your arm might get tired – consider it your pre-dessert workout.

Transfer and cool: Move the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Nobody wants scrambled aquafaba, trust me.

Whip the aquafaba: While the dough is cooling, beat the aquafaba with cream of tartar in a separate bowl until it forms soft peaks. This is your egg replacer magic happening before your eyes!

Combine: Gradually fold the whipped aquafaba into the cooled dough until fully incorporated. The dough should be shiny and fall slowly from the spoon.

Pipe the puffs: Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 2-inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each puff. Use a damp finger to smooth any pointy tops.

Bake: Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Do NOT open the oven door during the first 20 minutes – your puffs will deflate faster than your enthusiasm on Monday morning.

Cool: Remove from the oven and make a small slit in the side of each puff to release steam. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Prep your ingredients: Zest and juice your lemons. Pro tip: room temperature lemons yield more juice, so plan ahead! Or microwave them for 10 seconds if you're impatient like me.

Mix dry ingredients: In a saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch.

Add liquids: Slowly whisk in coconut milk, lemon juice, and zest until smooth. Add a tiny pinch of turmeric if you want that vibrant yellow color.

Cook until thick: Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Keep whisking! You're building arm muscles and a delicious dessert simultaneously.

Finish the cream: Remove from heat and whisk in vegan butter and vanilla extract until smooth.

Cool: Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface (to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate until completely cooled and set, about 2 hours.

Prepare filling: Once cooled, give your lemon cream a good whisk to ensure it's smooth and creamy.

Fill the puffs: Cut the cooled choux puffs horizontally. Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with the lemon cream and generously pipe it into each puff. Be generous – skimping on filling is a crime against pastry.

Glaze (optional): Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest to make a glaze. Drizzle or dip the tops of the filled puffs. Let set for about 10 minutes.

Serve: Arrange on a pretty plate and prepare for the "oohs" and "aahs" – followed by suspicious questions about whether they're really vegan.