Utah Scones

1 cup water, hot
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/3 cup oil or melted shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1 egg replacer substitute (i.e., chia or flax-seed egg or Ener-G egg replacer)
2 quarts frying oil (i.e., safflower or canola oil)

Mix 3 tablespoons of warm water with yeast adding a pinch of sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes for yeast to activate and foam.
In the meantime, combine hot water, oil (or melted shortening), salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
Once the yeast has activated, add egg replacer to the yeast mixture. Mix well.
Add the "egg"/yeast mixture to the oil/sugar mixture. Stir well.
Gradually add flour stirring well after each addition. Knead the dough as it stiffens until you get a doughy, elastic consistency. About 5 minutes.

Make Ahead Method:

Place dough in a well-greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove from fridge and knead lightly.
Because the dough is still cold, cover with a towel or oil-sprayed plastic wrap and let rise until double (about 1-2 hours). Note: I like to let my dough rise in a warmed oven. I set the temperature to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and warm for approximately 3-5 minutes. Turn oven off. Place dough in oven to rise until double.

Day-of Method:

Place dough in a well-greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Let dough rise for about 30 minutes or until double in size.

To Fry

Line a plate with paper towels and set aside.
Fill a large sauce pan with 2 inches of oil and heat to 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit over medium-high heat. Once temperature is reached, reduce heat slightly.
Meanwhile, punch down dough and divide into 12 balls. Roll out a piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into 1/4-inch thick circles or squares. You can use your fingers to stretch out the balls of dough. We like ours thick!
Carefully place two or three balls of dough in the oil and fry until golden brown on each side (about 1-2 mins). Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat until the dough is all fried.
Serve hot with dairy-free butter, pure maple syrup, or powdered sugar.