In a large bowl, place ⅓ cup (67 grams) sugar; add orange zest, and rub zest into sugar until fragrant and well combined. Whisk in 1½ cups (188 grams) flour, salt, and anise seed. Make a well in center.

Add eggs, one at a time, to yeast mixture, whisking until well combined after each addition. Whisk in vanilla and orange blossom water. Pour into well of flour mixture. Stir until well combined. Add remaining 1¾ cups (219 grams) flour, and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand in bowl until dough comes together.

Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Add 1 tablespoon (14 grams) room temperature butter, and incorporate into dough by using the heel of your hand and pressing dough out and away from you; using a bench scraper, bring dough together into a ball. Repeat procedure with remaining 5 tablespoons (70 grams) room temperature butter, 1 tablespoon (14 grams) at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic and starts to stick together, 5 to 7 minutes.

On a clean surface, knead dough by picking up dough, slapping dough onto surface, and folding dough in half; rotate dough 90 degrees. Repeat slapping, folding, and rotating until dough passes the windowpane test, 10 to 12 minutes. (See Notes.) Proceed to step 10.

Stand mixer method: In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup (120 grams) warm water, 1 teaspoon (4 grams) sugar, and yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, place ⅓ cup (67 grams) sugar; add orange zest, and rub zest into sugar until fragrant and well combined. Add 1½ cups (188 grams) flour, salt, and anise seed; using the paddle attachment, beat at low speed until combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, to yeast mixture, whisking until well combined after each addition. Whisk in vanilla and orange blossom water. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture, and beat at low speed until well combined. Add remaining 1¾ cups (219 grams) flour, and beat until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.

Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at low speed until dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, 4 to 5 minutes. Add room temperature butter, 1 tablespoon (14 grams) at a time, beating until combined after each addition (5 to 6 minutes total). Beat until a smooth, elastic dough forms, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn out dough onto a clean surface, and shape into a smooth round.

Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lightly punch down dough. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and cut off one-fourth of dough (about 200 grams). Reserve, and cover dough to prevent it from drying out.

Press remaining dough into a ½-inch-thick disk. Lift bottom edge of dough, and gently stretch and fold bottom third up to center. Stretch right side out, and fold over to center; repeat with left side. Finish by folding top third over previous folds. Roll dough away from you, and using both hands, cup dough and pull it toward you to seal. Rotate dough 90 degrees, and pull again, repeating until a tight, smooth boule forms. Place, seam side down, on prepared pan.

Divide reserved dough in half (about 100 grams each). Working with 1 portion at a time, roll into a 6½-inch-long log. In center of log (3¼ inches from either end), pinch dough, and roll with your fingers to form 2 smaller logs joined by a thin center. Measuring from center, in each direction, mark 1¾ inches. Pinch and roll at each mark to create 4 connected sections. Shape each section into a ball. Repeat with remaining reserved dough.

Place one strip of shaped dough across top of boule. Place second strip of shaped dough on boule perpendicular to first strip, crossing at the center. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until almost doubled in size, 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1½ hours. (Dough should pass the finger dent test; see Notes.)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 190°F (88°C), 35 to 40 minutes, covering with foil after 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning. Remove from pan, and let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

Brush melted butter onto bread; sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons (36 grams) sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. (See Notes.)