Measure 3-ounces (6 tablespoons) lukewarm water (105° F) in a mixing cup. Add yeast; mix well to dissolve. Measure out remaining ingredients. Add ingredients to bread machine in the following order: Water; Yeast mixture; Shortening; Malt syrup; Flour; Salt; Sugar.

Plug bread machine in and put on French bread setting. Start bread machine. Let bread machine mix dough for 15 minutes, using spoon to help the dry ingredients mix with wet ingredients. Dough should have formed into a ball and been kneaded for 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer dough to a large metal bowl; cover with plastic wrap and insert thermometer. Let rise 1½ hours if dough is at 80º F; let rise for 2 hours if dough is at 75º F. Punch dough down and turn onto floured surface. Divide the dough into four equal portions with pizza cutter, approximately 12 ounces each. Round each portion into a loaf. Cover with towel and let rise for one hour or until double in bulk.

On a floured surface, flatten each loaf with fingertips into a rectangle that is approximately ½-inch thick. If making a loaf, begin at one of the long sides and roll dough into tube shape. Pinch seam to close. Place seam side down on baking pan lined with lightly floured parchment paper. Alternately, place seam side down on channel of perforated bread tube. Make 4 or 5 diagonal slashes with razor blade. If making sandwich buns, cut dough into 6 pieces with pizza cutter. Place on lightly floured parchment paper.

Turn oven on for exactly 1½ minutes; turn oven off. Place bread dough in warmed oven for 60 minutes, or until double in bulk. Remove from oven. Brush top with water.

Heat oven to 450° F. Pour ½ cup water in bottom of oven; quickly add bread. Bake loaves for 20 minutes. Turn heat off and bake for additional 10 minutes. Bake sandwich buns for 15 minutes; turn oven off and bake for additional 10 minutes. Yield 4 loaves or 24 sandwich buns.