Ricc, that would be called metal leaf as there isn't any gold in it.
Trust me... you would KNOW if it was real gold when you paid for it!!
I still have some around from when I used to do a bit of gold leafing on frames. Waiting for the right bowl to use it on.
Also, depending on whether you want it shiny or satin is based on what is under it. The satin look uses a lacquer type size that when it gets tacky, you lay the leaf down and then use a cotton ball to rub it into place... sort of a swirly movement.
Water leafing uses different layers under the leaf, starting with a gesso base that fills in the grain of the wood. 2 or three layers with sanding in between to get a nice smooth finish.
Then a layer of Bole, which is a colored layer that adds the overall tone to the gold... red, yellow, green. blue, black. Most times red.
This gets wetted with a water/ alcohol mix to activate the rabbitskin glue in it and then the gold leaf is laid down on it. When it dries, you burnish it with an agate burnisher which gives it that shiny finish.
It actually is alot of fun when it comes out right.!!
Apparently too expensive for the people in my area.
Thinking here, you could still use a gesso on the wood to fill in the grain and then the lacquer sizing if you wanted to not show grain.