To start, bloom your yeast. Mix your active dry yeast, sugar, and warm milk together and let sit for 10 minutes.
1 ¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110 degrees, 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar (to bloom the yeast)
Next, in a large bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, mix flour, salt and sugar together.
4 ¾ cups (593 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon (25 g) granulated white sugar
To the dry ingredients add the whisked eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and softened butter and mix.
2 eggs, whisked, ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened, ½ tablespoon vanilla, 2 tablespoon (20 g) lemon zest (about 2 lemons zested)
Add in the yeast mixture and mix until everything is blended. Switch to a dough hook and knead on medium speed for 7-10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the edges of the bowl, forms a ball and springs back when pressed.
Form the dough into a ball. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise, (outside or a cold oven with the light on works well for this), for 1- 1 ½ hours, or until the dough doubles in size.