Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray. Cut the head of cauliflower into florets, including the stalks if desired. Toss with garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, and crushed red pepper. Arrange in a single layer and bake 30 minutes, flipping once if desired for even browning.
Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray. Toss the drained chickpeas with cumin and crushed red pepper, than arrange in a single layer. Add to the oven on a different baking rack and roast 20 minutes, or until crispy and toasted on the outside.
While the cauliflower and chickpeas are roasting, roughly chop the onion and add to the bottom of a large saucepan. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
When the cauliflower and chickpeas are finished, remove from the oven. Set the chickpeas aside along with a small reserve of roasted cauliflower florets (for garnish). Add the remaining cauliflower and silken tofu to the simmering broth. Reduce heat and stir to combine. Using an immersion blender, blend until a thick, creamy consistency is reached (about 2 minutes). Add the heavy cream and blend again until smooth.
Serve each bowl with 1/4 of the crispy chickpeas and roasted cauliflower florets, along with fresh thyme and additional red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
For a vegan version of this recipe, replace the 1/2 cup heavy cream with your preferred non-dairy alternative.