In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine your warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of your sugar. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast becomes active and foamy.

Add in the rest of the sugar, butter, and eggs. Mix using the whisk attachment on medium high speed until everything comes together.

Add 2 cups of flour and your salt into the bowl and switch out the whisk for the dough hook, mix at low speed until the flour is fully incorporated, at this point you can determine if you need to add more flour, the dough should pull clean from the mixer when it is the right consistency, but not be too stiff, it should be slightly sticky. I ended up using 2 ½ cups

Increase the speed to a medium high speed and mix for an additional 3-4 minutes. This last step will knead the dough and build the strength of the gluten.

Remove the dough from your mixer and place it into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and keep covered for about an hour, until the dough doubles in size.

Once your dough has doubled in size, fold it by tipping the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pounding the air out of it. Roll it back into a ball and place back into your oiled bowl, cover and let rest for another 30-45 minutes. It should rise up again and be airy, but not quite double in size.

Prepare a loaf pan by spraying it with nonstick baking spray, set aside.

When your dough is ready, tip it out onto a floured surface again, and pat flat. Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces and roll the pieces out to about 12 inches. Lay each 12 inch strand of dough side by side and join the top together by lightly rolling them into a point. Braid the strands all the way down and at the bottom pinch and roll the ends together.

Tuck the pointed ends under the loaf and fit the loaf into your prepared pan. Cover and let rest for about 30-45 minutes. Until the dough has risen slightly above the top of the pan.

While your loaf is proofing, preheat your oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.

Once your loaf is proofed and ready, uncover and brush with your egg wash, bake for 30-45 minutes. The loaf will be golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf should read 190 degrees fahrenheit.