Chocolate heart

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (355ºF). Butter and dust with flour a heart-shaped cake tin (or a 24 cm round cake tin).

Melt the chocolate and the unsalted butter over a bain-marie; stir until smooth. Beat the egg yolks and 75 g of the sugar until they are pale and thick. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites, gradually adding the remaining sugar until they are smooth, shiny and stiff peaks form. Fold the sifted flour into the egg yolks-sugar mixture and combine with the melted chocolate-butter mixture. Whisk 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it; carefully fold in the remainder in two separate batches. Rest the batter for 5 minutes before pouring it into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool on a rack before turning the cake out; refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Coarsely chop the chocolate and place in a bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering and pour over the chocolate; stir until smooth. Set the ganache aside for about 10 minutes at room temperature, until it can be spread easily. When the chocolate cake is cold and fairly hard, cut a thin slice from the top to level it; use a long serrated knife and cut in a sawing motion. Spread the ganache evenly over the entire surface of the cake; refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm. Decorate with berries.

Note: The cake can be kept refrigerated for 2-3 days. It can also be served with crème anglaise or whipped cream.