"Trifecta" Bread, Buns, or Cinnamon Rolls

I love a fine-textured soft-crusted bread. I love whole wheat and multi-grain bread. I love homemade bread. All three combined - TRIFECTA!

A recent visit to Canada provided this trifecta recipe. Using her bread machine dough cycle our host, Kathy, made this wonderful bread as loaves, buns, and cinnamon rolls every couple of days and we enjoyed EVERY. LAST. BITE.

Better yet, she shared her recipe with me. After some internet research on bread machine dough cycle times, I modified the recipe to make it with a stand mixer. A couple of attempts with different timings and I think I have found the best combination.

Kathy’s Bread & Buns

1-1/2 C hottest tap water (or warm milk)
¼ cup corn syrup (honey, maple, brown sugar syrup)
1-1/2 t salt
3 T powdered milk (omit if using milk)
3 T shortening (lard, butter)
1 egg beaten
4-1/4 C AP Flour (half whole wheat)
2 t active dry yeast
1/3 cup grains (ie. oatmeal, flax, chia, quinoa, 10-grain mix)
For cinnamon buns, you'll need 1/2 C + 2 T melted butter, 3/4 C brown sugar, cinnamon and optional raisins and pecans.

• Place all ingredients in the order given into a 4-5qt bowl of a stand mixer.
• Mix with dough hook on low speed 34 min. Should be ever-so-slightly sticky.
• Let it rise in mixing bowl, covered with a tea towel, 25 min in a barely warm oven. 
• Punch down/mix for 15 seconds
• Again, let it rise in mixing bowl, covered with a tea towel, 25 min in a barely warm oven. 
• Remove dough from bowl onto a lightly floured countertop. Lightly knead for 20 seconds, then divide and shape into two 9x4 loaf pans, or two 8x8 pans - 9 buns each, or two 9x14 pans - 8 'spaced' buns each. (I do one loaf and one pan of buns)
• Rise uncovered 55minutes in a barely warm oven
• Leave bread in oven, set timer to 24 minutes, heat to then bake at 325°F to a pale golden brown. 
• Remove from oven and cool on rack or wrapped in a tea towel.
• Stores wonderfully in a plastic food storage bag a couple of days, or in the fridge for a week, and freezes excellently.
• See instructions below for cinnamon buns.

• For Cinnamon Buns: when shaping the dough, roll out to a large rectangle, 1/4 inch thick. Brush generously with 2 T melted butter, and sprinkle cinnamon and 1/4 C brown sugar all over (raisins optional.) Roll into a long log and slice into 12 even portions. Melt a stick (1/2 C) of butter and pour into a 9x14 baking pan (I prefer glass.) Sprinkle with 1/2 C of brown sugar (crushed pecans and raisins optional extras.) Place rolled dough slices (spiral sides up) 3 rows x 4 rows. Resume final rise and baking instructions. Serve warm. Store covered in the fridge.