Recipe

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• 10 1/2 oz (about 2 cups plus 11/2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 oz (about 21/2 tbsp) sugar
• 0.15 oz (about 11/2 tsp) kosher salt
• 0.15 oz (about 11/2 tsp) dry active yeast
• 2 large eggs
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 2 tbsp butter
• confectioners'' sugar .

• 1 CHILL TIME 8 HRS
• 2 -
• 3 FREEZE TIME 30 MINUTES
• 4 -
• 5 CHILL TIME 20 MINUTES
• 6 -
• 7 About 9 hours before baking, work together the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, eggs, 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons water in a mixer fitted with a dough hook.
• 8 Mix for 5 minutes at medium speed until it forms a smooth ball.
• 9 Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours.
• 10 Set the remaining butter at room temperature for a few minutes. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough into an oval, then roll into a 5-by-9-inch rectangle.
• 11 Put on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
• 12 Using a rolling pin, flatten the butter between wax or parchment papers into a 4-by-5-inch rectangle. If too soft, refrigerate for 5 minutes.
• 13 Remove dough from freezer.
• 14 Lay the butter on one end of the dough.
• 15 Cut the dough in half. Place the side without butter on top of the side with it and gently press on the edges to seal.
• 16 Roll into a 6-by-12-inch rectangle.
• 17 Fold into thirds.
• 18 Cover with plastic and chill for 20 minutes.
• 19 Roll the dough into an 8-by-10-inch rectangle.
• 20 Trim the edges to make it neat; reserve trimmings.
• 21 Slice the rectangle lengthwise into 9 strips
• 22 1/2 inch wide. Group the strands into 3 groups of 3.
• 23 Gather the tops of the three strands of each group and pinch to seal.
• 24 Braid each group separately, pinching the ends to keep each braid intact.
• 25 On a sheet pan, create one large ring using the three braids.
• 26 Roll the trimmings to 1/8-inch thick and, using cookie cutters, make 3 pretty shapes. Lay the shapes at the seams between the 3 braids and press gently.
• 27 Brush the ring with water.
• 28 Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size.
• 29 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• 30 Bake the loaf for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 10 minutes more or until golden and a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reaches 180 degrees.
• 31 Cool on the pan, then dust with confectioners’ sugar.
• 32 Makes 1 loaf.
• 33 That's it!