Bake the iconic actress’s favorite dessert
Discovering how much Audrey Hepburn loved chocolate from my interview with her son Luca Dotti, I knew I had to try her chocolate cake recipe from his new book, “Audrey at Home: Memories of My Mother’s Kitchen.” I’m not a baker, as a matter of fact, I prefer to get my sweet treats from my local bakery, but this was a challenge I was eager to take on, after all, who wouldn’t be delighted to say “Hey, try some of my chocolate cake; it’s Audrey Hepburn’s recipe.” This flourless recipe is not only gluten-free, but with only five ingredients plus powdered sugar for decoration, it’s ideal if you’re looking for a quick, yet chicly delicious bittersweet chocolate dessert. I also made whipped cream using heavy whipping cream and sweetened with powdered sugar.
Audrey Hepburn's Chocolate Cake
Notes
An 8 inch round pan was used in the cake pictured, resulting in a thicker cake.
Recipe source: "Audrey at Home: Memories of My Mother's Kitchen" by Luca Dotti
Ingredients
- 11 ounces (300 g) unsweetened dark chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk (just enough to soften the chocolate)
- 1 stick (120 g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for greasing
- 8 eggs, separated
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- Flour for pan
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Butter and flour a 10- or 12- inch (25- or 28-cm) round baking pan.
- Melt the chocolate with the milk in a bain-marie. Add the butter and stir to blend thoroughly. Turn off the heat and add the 8 egg yolks; mix. In a separate bowl gradually add the sugar to the egg whites and whip to form stiff peaks. Gently fold into the chocolate–egg yolk mixture. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door, and leave the cake inside for a few minutes (this will prevent the crust from cracking). Remove from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool completely before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
