Spray an 8x8 inch square pan with cooking spray and sprinkle the bottom with the chunks of pear.
Place all the bread cubes into the pan into an even layer, there should be enough to completely cover the bottom of the pan. Leave to one side.
Place milk, ginger, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract into a large jug and beat with a fork until there are no lumps of egg.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread, try and pour evenly over all the bread - then cover loosely with clingfilm and place in the fridge overnight.
In the morning - preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Core and cut your remaining pears into small chunks and sprinkle over the top of the bread. Sprinkle with a few pinches of ginger and some brown sugar to create a crunchy top.
Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until risen, golden and the centre is set. If you wobble the whole pan it should move as one and there shouldn't be any liquid in the middle.
Leave to cool for 20 minutes before serving. You can serve with maple syrup if desired, or ice cream if you're really indulging!
You can keep the French Toast Bake covered, in the fridge for 2 days. Either eat it at room temperature, or warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds - 1 minute.