Use challah that's at least one day old; it has less moisture and won't become soggy when dipped in the egg mixture, resulting in a perfectly crispy exterior and custardy interior.

Let the orange zest steep in the milk for 5 minutes before whisking in eggs and vanilla to extract maximum citrus flavor that complements the pumpkin pie spice beautifully.

Dip each challah slice for only 1-2 seconds per side in the egg mixture; over-soaking destroys the bread's structure and creates dense, rubbery french toast instead of tender slices.

Use clarified butter or brown butter for cooking as it won't burn at medium heat and adds rich, nutty flavor that elevates the maple syrup and honey components.

Lightly bloom the pumpkin pie spice in the hot butter for 10-15 seconds before adding the dipped bread to awaken and intensify the warm spice notes throughout the dish.