Day 1

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1 cup of flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix on low just to combine.
2. Add in the water and mix on medium for 2 minutes until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
3. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing after each until well incorporated. Mixture might look slightly curdled, this is fine.
4. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in 2 cups flour, little by little, until incorporated.
5. Turn the mixer up to medium and add in the butter in small amounts, mixing after each addition to ensure it’s well incorporated.
6. Turn the mixer to low and add in the remaining flour, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed until well combined. The dough will be sticky.
7. Using a rubber spatula or clean hands, scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 3 hours, until it doubles in size.
8. Once the dough is risen, remove the plastic wrap and use a rubber spatula or clean hands to punch down (deflate) the dough. It will still be very sticky. Re-cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Day 2

1. Line 2 9×5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a floured surface. Divide it equally into 2 pieces and roll it into a log the same size as the loaf pan. Alternately, you can cut each log into 3 strips and do a simple braid. Or form the dough into equal shaped balls to make rolls.
3. Place the loaves into the prepared loaf pans, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise again for 3 hours, until doubled in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
5. Whisk together the egg wash (1 egg and 2 tablespoons water) and brush onto the tops of the risen dough. Sprinkle with sugar now, if desired.
6. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. If it’s browning too quickly, tent the loaves loosely with foil to slow the browning.
7. Allow the loaves to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.