Pear and Dark Chocolate Cake

• 3 large, firm pears
• 1.75 oz dark chocolate (50 g)
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar (120 g)
• Ground cinnamon, to taste
• ½ cup milk (125 ml)
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (140 g)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (30 g)
• 1 tsp baking powder (½ packet)
• A pinch of salt

1. Prepare the Pears: Peel the pears, remove the cores, and cut them into small cubes. Optionally, toss with a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside half of the cubed pears and slice the remaining half into wedges.

2. Melt the Chocolate: Melt the dark chocolate using a double boiler or microwave, stirring until smooth.

3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the egg with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the milk and melted chocolate, and mix well.

4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until smooth.

5. Add Pears: Gently fold the cubed pears into the batter until evenly distributed.

6. Pour into Pan: Butter and flour a 9- to 9.5-inch (22–34 cm) round cake pan. Pour in the batter and arrange the pear wedges on top.

7. Bake: Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8. Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve dusted with powdered sugar or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.