Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up and set an ovenproof rack on top. Generously spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the meatballs from sticking.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and heavy cream (or milk) until well combined. Stir in the cubed white sandwich bread and mash with a fork until the bread breaks down and forms a paste. Set the mixture aside to soak.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the ground pork, 1 large minced garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons baking powder on high speed until the mixture is smooth and pale, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl as necessary. Add the bread mixture from Step 2 and beat on high speed until homogeneous, scraping the bowl as needed, for about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and mix on medium-low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds. With wet hands, form the mixture into 1½-inch round meatballs and place them on the prepared rack from Step 1. I always keep a small bowl of water nearby to keep my hands damp—it's the best way to handle sticky meatball mixtures.

Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the sauce.

While the meatballs bake, whisk together ketchup, dark brown sugar, water, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons minced shallot, 2 small minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper in a large skillet. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 10 to 12 minutes. For even more depth of flavor, I like to simmer the sauce a little longer on very low heat if I have the time.

Add the baked meatballs from Step 4 to the thickened sauce in the skillet and simmer gently until the meatballs are heated through and well-coated. Transfer the saucy meatballs to a serving platter, garnish with finely chopped parsley if desired, and serve warm with toothpicks for easy snacking.