Combine flour and yeast in a large metal bowl. Stir with a whisk. Set aside.

 

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine water, milk, eggs, ½ cup sugar, orange blossom water, orange zest and vanilla. Whisk lightly with a handheld whisk, then attach bowl to stand mixer.

 

Using the paddle attachment, mix ingredients in stand mixer bowl on low speed. Add flour and yeast 1/2 cup at a time until a dough forms; about 90 seconds.  Add salt and increase mixer to medium speed; 30 seconds.

 

Stop mixer and attach dough hook. Scrape dough off the sides of bowl with a spatula. Mix on low speed for 1 minute. Add butter pieces gradually while dough mixes. 

 

Increase speed to medium. Continue mixing for 25 minutes, scraping the dough off the bowl every 10 minutes. Dough should be smooth and slide off the hook.

 

Grease a large metal bowl with butter.

 

Lightly dust a working surface with flour. Scrape flour out of bowl onto dusted working surface. Lightly knead for a few seconds and form a large ball. Place dough in metal bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place bowl in a warm area of your kitchen and let dough rise for 1 hour.

 

Place dough on clean work surface and deflate by kneading for a few seconds. Make 8 (90 gram) balls, 8 (30 gram) balls and 8 small (10 gram) balls. 

 

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly grease parchment paper with vegetable shortening. 

 

Round the 90-gram dough pieces, place on greased baking sheet and lightly press around the edges. Set aside.

 

Cut each 30-gram ball in half. Roll each piece on working surface between your fingers, forming “bones.” You should have 16. Set aside.  Round the small 10-gram balls. Set aside. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes. 

 

Place a strip of “bones” over the large dough pieces, stretching down the sides. Add the second strip, forming a cross. Lightly place the small 10-gram dough ball in the middle of each cross, pressing lightly. Repeat with remaining dough pieces. Place assembled dough pieces in a warm area of your kitchen. Let rest for 30 minutes.

 

Preheat oven to 350° F.

 

Bake for 20 minutes on middle oven rack, turning the baking sheets halfway through.  Remove from oven and let cool completely on baking sheet. Bread should be golden brown.

 

Brush each bread with melted butter. Place remaining cup sugar in a shallow bowl or small tray. 

 

When butter has been absorbed by bread, place each piece on tray with sugar. Scoop sugar onto bread, covering evenly and patting excess sugar off. Repeat with all bread pieces. Serve.