French toast croque monsieur with orange thyme syrup

Combine one cup sugar and one cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, swirling once or twice.

At a full boil, reduce the heat to a steady simmer and hold it for 10 minutes.

Add two tablespoons Grand Marnier and simmer five minutes more.

Add the thyme sprig and three dashes of orange bitters and cool completely on the counter; it thickens as it cools.

Pull out the thyme, move the syrup to a glass container and refrigerate.

Microwave the honey about 15 seconds to loosen it.

Whisk the half and half, eggs, honey and a quarter teaspoon kosher salt together thoroughly.

Refrigerate the custard overnight so it is cold and the bubbles work out.

Slice the bread into four three-quarter-inch slices, set them on a rack over a pan and cover with a clean tea towel overnight to stale.

Set an oven rack in the second position from the top and set the oven to broil, high broil if there is a choice.

Put three cups of cornflakes in a pie dish and crush them roughly with a second pan.

Soak each slice of staled challah in the custard for 30 seconds per side, timed.

Rest the soaked slices on the rack at least two minutes.

Dredge each slice lightly in the cornflakes, pressing them on, and return to the rack for another minute.

Heat the pan over medium heat for about a minute and a half, then melt in two tablespoons of butter and swirl it.

Add all the bread at once, press down for full contact, and cook about two minutes before checking the underside.

Flip gently, using tongs if needed.

Load each slice with the grated Gruyere and julienned ham.

Broil two minutes to finish.

Serve on sliced white bread with the syrup alongside to drizzle.