Combine yeast with one Tablespoon each of the flour and sugar in a small bowl. Mix until well combine then pour in 1/4 cup of the lukewarm soy milk. Set aside in a warm dark place.

Either in a large mixing bowl or in a stand mixer with the dough hook, pour the remaining flour, sugar, salt, butter, aquafaba, vanilla extract and canela if using, and soy milk, into the mixer bowl. Mix on low until ingredients are well combined, stop to scrap down the sides as needed.

Pour in the bubbly yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until yeast is incorporated into the dough, then increase speed to medium and continue to mix until you have a dough that doesn’t stick to the sides of the mixer bowl.

The dough should be smooth and elastic, not stick to your hands or mixer bowl. Additionally you should be able to stretch it without it ripping. Gather the dough into a large ball.

Grease a large glass or plastic bowl with butter then place the dough ball in it. Cover with clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Leave to rise in a dark and warm place in your kitchen until the dough doubles in size.

Mix the powdered sugar with the all purpose flour in a medium bowl, until well combined. Add the softened butter and vanilla extract or cocoa powder, mix with your hands until you get a crumbly texture like shortbread cookies. Pour onto a lightly floured surface and gently gather just until it comes together –don’t over knead it! Shape into a ball and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, refrigerate until ready to use. (If using vegetable shortening the process is the same.)

Weigh and divide the raised dough into 6 even-sized pieces. One by one, roll the pieces into smooth equal balls. If the dough feels a little sticky you can dust your work surface with a little bit of flour. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper but with enough space between them so they have room to rise.

Cut a large piece of parchment paper and place it on your working surface, lightly dust with powdered sugar. Lightly coat small rolling pin with powdered sugar. Unwrap and cut the sugar topping into 6 even-sized pieces and roll out or flatten into a round disk that's large enough to cover about 3/4 of the rolled dough balls.

Brush the tops of the dough ball with soft butter. Carefully place the sugar topping disk on top of concha dough ball. Use your hand to flatten it around the dough ball so it stays in place and not lifts up. Repeat until all of the sugar topping has been rolled out and put on the dough balls.

Use a concha cutter to firmly stamp the design onto the sugar topping. Watch the video for a visual. If you don’t have a cutter then use a sharp knife to cut a design on to the sugar topping. Use the photos and video as a guide.

Leave the conchas in a dark, warm place to rise a second time until they have doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. (If you live in a hot and humid place it can take just 20-25 min to rise) The sugar topping may separate a bit and it’s ok.

Carefully place the baked conchas on a cooling rack and allow to come to room temperature. Enjoy as desired.