At least the day before, chill the coconut cream according to its package so its thick solids will whip. On cooking day, cover the ricotta almonds with hot water for 30 minutes, then drain thoroughly. Whisk the 5 tablespoons cashew butter with 5 tablespoons warm water until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this quick cream for the caramel; use all the remaining quick cream in the toast custard.

Process the drained ricotta almonds, soy yogurt, ricotta maple syrup, orange juice and zest, vanilla, lemon juice, salt and 2 tablespoons soy milk until creamy with a fine ricotta-like texture. Stop to scrape; add only a few extra drops of milk if necessary. Refrigerate. Whip the chilled coconut cream with its maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and salt until softly fluffy; refrigerate separately.

Toss the sliced strawberries with the finishing teaspoon orange zest. Leave unsweetened for the default, or add a little optional maple syrup and stand for 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) and place a wire rack over a baking sheet for keeping cooked toast warm.

Blend the toast’s soy milk, all the quick cashew cream except the reserved 2 tablespoons, aquafaba, chickpea flour, flaxseed, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken, then pour into a shallow dish. Stir between batches so the flour does not settle.

Heat a large nonstick griddle or two large skillets over medium to medium-low heat. Divide the tablespoon avocado oil among three cooking batches. Dip four bread slices at a time into the custard, coating both sides; sturdy stale slices may take 15–20 seconds per side, while softer bread needs only a brief dip. Do not soak until they fall apart.

Cook the dipped slices for 3–4 minutes on the first side and 2–4 minutes on the second, adjusting the heat so the centers cook before the surfaces become too dark. The chickpea-flour custard must be fully set and hot throughout, not wet or floury; check 165°F (74°C) at the center with a food thermometer. Transfer to the warm wire rack in one layer and repeat with the remaining bread. A smaller pan needs more batches and time.

Near serving time, melt the vegan butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the caramel’s maple syrup and date sugar and stir gently for 2–3 minutes until bubbling and slightly thickened. Whisk in the reserved 2 tablespoons quick cashew cream and caramel salt; warm for 30–60 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the caramel vanilla. Date sugar remains finely textured; this is a soft maple-date caramel rather than a hard sugar shell.

Arrange two warm toast slices on each of six plates. Divide the ricotta, spiced cream, strawberries, measured toasted almonds and all the warm caramel evenly among the plates. Serve promptly so the toast stays crisp at the edges and the cream remains cool.