Espresso and Lime

1 Place 1 cup of warm whole milk into a small bowl and add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 packet of active dry yeast. Whisk to combine and let it sit for about 5 minutes or until the yeast blooms and the surface of the milk becomes foamy
2 Place 8 tablespoons of soft butter into a large bowl and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 2 eggs and the bloomed yeast and whisk everything together 
3 Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough comes together and begins to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl
4 Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface
5 Knead the dough, adding a bit of flour, if necessary, until it feels soft and smooth and no longer sticks to your hands
6 Form the dough into a round ball and transfer it into a large greased glass bowl
7 Cover the bowl tightly with plastic and let it rest in a warm place for about 60 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size
8 Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 3 equal portions
9 Braid the 3 portions, tucking both ends under to form a neat loaf (further instructions above)
10 Whisk the remaining egg and brush over the surface of the braided loaf
11 Cover the loaf lightly with greased plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature
12 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the middle of your oven
13 Once the dough has rested, brush any dry spots with remaining egg wash and then sprinkle finely shredded parmesan and herbs over the loaf
14 Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the loaf is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees
15 Transfer the baked bread onto a cooling rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing
16 Store in an airtight container at room temperature