• Slice the bread and leave out overnight. If your challah is fresh, cut it into thick slices and lay them out on a cooling rack to dry overnight.

Make the French Toast

• Prep your tools. Position a drying rack over a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 190ºF and place a separate oven-safe drying rack over a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in the oven. (So you will need two sets of drying racks set over lined baking sheets.)
• Make the custard. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, half & half, warm honey, salt, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined, then pour into a 9x9 baking dish.
• Add the bread. Soak the dried bread slices in the custard, 2 slices at a time, for about 2 minutes per side. Then set the soaked bread on the wire rack (the one outside the oven) so any extra custard can drip off before cooking. Sprinkle each slice with a pinch or two of cinnamon to taste.
• Cook. After soaking for about 3 to 4 minutes, cook the soaked bread on a greased griddle or pan, buttered with 1 tablespoon of butter, over medium heat. Don’t overcrowd the pan/griddle (I cook two slices at a time).
• Cook the bread slices on each side for about 2 minutes. Check for doneness judging by color. Each side should be golden brown. Make sure the slices cook through and evenly (rotate them around if your pan or griddle has hot spots). Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the griddle after each batch of French toast has cooked, and let it foam and subside before adding the next batch.
• Keep warm in the oven. This is optional, but a great way to serve your toast warm. Once they are cooked, place them on the rack that's inside the oven, batch by batch, to keep warm.
• Serve. I like to serve French toast with homemade whipped cream, maple syrup, and blueberries.