Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and place a sheet of aluminum foil on the oven rack to catch any drips as the bread pudding cooks.

Grease an 8 inch round baking dish and cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom.

Cut each slice of bread into 1 inch (2.5cm) cubes. Layer half the bread, half the pear, half the walnuts into the baking dish, repeating with remaining ingredients. Set aside.

Whisk together oat milk, cornstarch, vanilla, cardamom, salt, and maple syrup in a small pan until smooth. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Let boil gently for ten minutes, whisking frequently, to thicken and infuse milk.

Lower the heat if necessary so it doesn’t bubble over or scald. The custard will coat the back of a spoon nicely when you’re done.

Evenly pour the custard over the bread and gently press bread into the custard so every piece gets soaked.

Sprinkle a bit more cardamom on top, then carefully place in the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes until bread tops are golden and the custard is thick and bubbling at the edges.

Let cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.