Audrey Hepburn's Favorite Cake Recipe Has An Aggressive Amount Of Eggs

Throughout her life, Audrey Hepburn had a deep love of cooking, especially for her family and friends. According to her son, Luca Dotti, Hepburn never shied away from the sweeter things in life, having been known to indulge in her love of chocolate often (per People). The one thing that made her a star with friends and family was her famous flourless dark chocolate cake.

What made Hepburn's dark chocolate flourless cake such a blockbuster? Lots and lots of eggs. In "Audrey at Home," a cookbook/memoir written by her son, the actress's dark chocolate flourless cake calls for an aggressive eight separated eggs. Why so many? With the absence of flour in the cake, eggs pick up the slack in many ways, including the cake's structure, moisture, and richness. Eggs also solve a problem that often plagues gluten-free cakes, which is their inability to rise properly. Take, for example, the eggs in this flourless chocolate and red wine Swedish cake recipe, which act as a raising agent. When you whip the whites, it helps create volume that helps prevent the cake from flattening. 

Let's talk about the role eggs play in a flourless cake. First, they are essential for structure. The protein found in egg whites helps bind the ingredients together. When the protein of the egg white is introduced to heat or an acid, it begins to coagulate, which is the process of becoming semisolid — the perfect state for binding ingredients together. Also, when you beat egg whites, they become a leavening agent. When beaten, the proteins found in egg whites create air bubbles in the cake batter. After baking, it's these bubbles that help keep the cake light, airy, and smooth. 

When dealing with a chocolate flourless cake, eggs provide a good counterbalance to the chocolate, which can often leave the cake feeling dense. The reason behind this is eggs provide a lot of moisture to the cake. The yolk of the egg contains a great deal of fat, which is necessary for creating a moist cake. The combination of fat and protein both help hold in water — doing double duty to prevent dryness but also stop mold from growing so quickly.

No flourless chocolate cake would be complete without the perfect pairing to go alongside it. Audrey Hepburn, when making her famous flourless dark chocolate cake, would always include cream and vanilla ice cream (via People). This classic combination provides the perfect contrast between the warmness of the cake and the cold cream. If you're looking for something homemade, you can follow a simple vanilla ice cream recipe – the richness from the egg yolks will provide a delectable contrast to the lightness of the flourless cake. 

Fruit is another great choice when looking for that perfect pairing. Berries like strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries give a fresh and tart flavor to brighten the richness of dark chocolate. Topping everything with citrus fruit is another great choice because it adds a nice acidity. 

Finally, whipped cream is also great because its creamy texture complements the rich chocolate. Whipped cream also adds a nice pop of visual contrast to the top of the cake. If you want to try something new, coconut milk whipped cream provides a unique flavor that will help you mix up dessert time.