Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Coat the inside of one 8-inch by 2-inch deep (20 cm x 5 cm) heart shaped cake pan (or round pan) with nonstick spray, line bottom with parchment heart, then spray parchment.

Place the whole eggs, in their shells, in a bowl filled with hot tap water for 5 minutes. Warming the eggs ensures maximum volume when they are whipped.

Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl and set over a pot of simmering water or microwave until chocolate is three-quarters of the way melted. Remove from heat source and whisk gently every now and then for a few minutes until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Meanwhile, crack whole eggs into bowl and beat with mixer on high speed until tripled in volume, pale yellow and thick enough to hold a very soft peak.

Add about 1/4 of the egg mixture to the cooled chocolate. Gently combine by hand, using a whisk. It’s OK if streaks of egg remain. Add remaining eggs and fold in, first using the whisk, then finishing with a large silicone spatula. The batter will deflate a bit, but try to retain as much volume as possible. The mixture will look like chocolate mousse. Scrape batter into pan and level with a small offset spatula.

Place the pan in a large roasting pan filled with 1 inch of hot water. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes. The surface will look dull. If you tilt the pan slightly, the edges will come away from the sides of the pan. Both of those visuals are important and the only way to really tell that it is done. It will still be very soft, like a pudding. Don’t fret. Remove pan from water and cool pan completely on rack. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Cake may be frozen at this point up to 1 week; defrost in refrigerator overnight before continuing).

For unmolding: unwrap pan, flip it over (the cake will not fall out) and allow hot tap water to run all over the bottom of the pan. The warmth from the water should loosen the cake from the sides and bottom of the pan. Warm an icing spatula under hot water and blot dry. Run the spatula around the sides of the cake. Apply pressure out towards the pan, not in towards the cake, or you might accidentally shave off some of the cake’s side. Flip the cake over and firmly shake and wiggle the pan back and forth; you are trying to get the cake to release its surface tension with the pan. The cake should slip out. If it doesn’t, repeat the warm water and jiggling steps. Gently lift off the pan completely. Peel off the parchment. Cake is ready to glaze with the chocolate ganache.

For the Ganache: Place cream in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and immediately sprinkle chocolate into cream. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. The heat of the cream should melt the chocolate. Gently stir the ganache until smooth.

Place cake on rack set over a clean pan. Pour glaze over top of cake and gently spread it evenly and towards edges with an icing spatula and allow it to drip down sides. Use icing spatula to help it spread over the top edges and touch up any bare spots on the side. Any excess that drips onto pan can be re-used. Place cake on display plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until glaze is set.

For the Optional Gold Decoration: Place about 1/2 teaspoon gold powder in a small bowl. Add vodka a drop at a time and stir with brush until it is a thin paint consistency. Simply shake the brush over the cake, making random splatters of edible liquid gold paint. Cake may be served immediately or refrigerated up to 3 days in covered container. Serve slices of cake while it is cold; it is best sliced with a thin bladed knife dipped in hot water between cuts. You can serve the cake cold (my preference) or at room temperature.