Nicole Shirley of Sweet Temptations shares with our Thursday readers this superdelicious Valentine’s Mona Lisa’s Chocolate Secret.

Ingredients: 1 cup butter cut into pieces 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder 6 large eggs Method: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line bottom of heart-shaped pan with waxed paper.

Stir butter and chocolate in heavy large saucepan over low heat until melted.

Mix sugar and cocoa in large bowl. Add eggs; whisk until well blended.

Whisk in chocolate-butter mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake until tester inserted into centre comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Chocolate Ganache 9 oz bittersweet chocolate 1 cup heavy cream Method:

Finely chop chocolate.

Bring heavy cream to a boil.

Remove from heat, add chocolate to hot liquid and stir until chocolate is melted

Chocolate Frosting 6 sq semi-sweet chocolate 1/4 cup butter 1 lb icing sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly.

Combine sugar, salt, milk and vanilla in a chilled bowl. Add chocolate mixture and blend well. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread.

Assembly of Cake Method: Frost sides of cake with chocolate frosting Glaze top of cake with ganache and allow it to run over sides Refrigerate until firm Pipe border around base of cake and garnish with chocolate shavings Pipe rosettes with chocolate frosting on top of cake and garnish with fresh strawberries and more chocolate shavings.