Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt it in microwave. Remove from the microwave. Set aside keeping it in a warm place.
Heat the oven to 180°C.
Beat the butter until really soft, add the icing sugar while beating constantly until light and pale yellow.
Add the 3 egg yolks, cinnamon, salt and melted chocolate. Mix until well blended.
Whisk the 2 egg whites until stiff. Fold into the mixture by spoons, alternating with spoonfuls of flour. Fold lightly.
Mix lightly the pear pieces into the mixture.
Butter a 23cm loaf tin, sprinkle the dried breadcrumbs. Shake the tin upside down so the crumbs cover all the buttered surface. Throw away the excess the crumbs.
Pour in the cake mixture into the tin. Bake for about 50 minutes until the cake is done. It must be quite springy to touch and it must shrunk from the sides of the tin.
Remove from the oven, loosen the cake from the tin, put into a wire rack and leave the cake to cool. Sprinkle with sifted icing sugar before serving.
Serve, share and enjoy. Perfect for our afternoon tea.
