Sunday Brunch - English Muffins

*Altered from Alton Brown's Recipe














INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup Evaporated Soy Milk
1 tbsp Crystallized Sugar (Cane, Coconut Crystals, Whatever you have on hand)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Vegetable Shortening (Earth Balance makes a good one)
1 cup Hot Water
1 pkg Dry Active Yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
Large Pinch of Sugar (1/8 tsp it calls for, but I don't have a measuring spoon for that)
1/3 cup Warm Water
2 cups Sifted Flour (All Purpose or Bread Flour)

In a large bowl, mix hot water with soy milk powder, shortening, tbsp sugar and salt until dissolved. In a separate bowl, combine yeast, 1/8 tsp sugar and warm water and set aside until it foams (nearly 10 minutes). Add yeast mixture to soy milk mixture and sift in the flour 1 cup at a time. Cover and let rise for 1/2 hour or so (until it doubles in size).

For cooking method, I tried two ways. One -  Take squash ball-sized pieces of dough and make a patty (don't overwork), fry on low in a oil-sprayed pan, covered for 7-8 minutes per side (until golden, but middle has to cook). Two - Take same sized balls and make a patty, dip each side in corn meal, bake at 250 for 20 minutes and then fry on medium in oil-sprayed pan for a few minutes per side to brown the sides. Both were good, just slightly different. Extras can be, split lengthwise and frozen in airtight container and toasted at a later date.