Chateau Montfort

Ask your children to munch on a dahlia and they might well look at you as if you’d gone stark raving mad. Mine did. I admit… I have been known to become a tiny bit agitated when misguided rugby balls torpedo into the cut flower beds, crushing a seasons growth in just a few fleeting seconds, so it must have come as a bit of a shock when I placed a trug of freshly snipped dahlias on the table last weekend and excitedly announced we were going to eat them.

The source of this newfound enthusiasm for the culinary delights of dahlias came about quite by accident, or perhaps not if you’ve managed to unravel the mysteries of Google’s search engine algorithms, which ever increasingly seem to predict what I’m going to think before its thought. I’d set out to order bulbs and bare-rooted roses, but suddenly found myself in the depths of an article on Aztec cooking, and, as is often the case, one click led to another and the next day, with a bit of gentle reassurance that they wouldn’t be poisoned, the children and I were nibbling our way through a bouquet of dahlias on the kitchen windowsill. What do you make of me now Google?

The multicoloured petal munching degustation that ensued was, I should point out, a first, and perhaps something you shouldn’t undertake by a window if you live in a built-up urban area with overlooking neighbours.

We took a vote and started with a gorgeous pastel pink bloom tipped with apricot. The texture was as you’d imagine a petal to be; smooth surfaced and slightly crisp, but the flavour was far from floral, it tasted like legumes: earthy, fresh and subterranean. Each flower was different. Some tasted like freshly picked parsley, others like celeriac, carrot, and, if I’m honest, bland potato.

Interestingly, the explanation lies in their history, and that’s where the Aztecs come in.

It was the Aztecs who overlooked the dahlia’s flower and cultivated the sweet tubers which were brought to Europe from Mexico in the 16th Century as an alternative to the potato. Not unlike their cousin the Jerusalem artichoke, the tuber can be eaten either raw or cooked, but, as is the case so often in life, beauty won out, and the goodness that lay beneath was forgotten. By the 1840’s dahlia mania had reached heady heights, buoyed by the Victorian’s love of cut flowers which led to the cultivation of the varieties we now buy at our local florist; the big and the blowsy, those tight intricate pompons, and some as large as dinner plates. Sadly, today’s dahlias have been bread more for their good looks than their tasty tubers, however, there are still commercial breeders like Lubera in Switzerland or the seed savers exchange who’ve ensured the older eating varieties are still available.

The flowers of the modern day varieties are still edible, although the taste varies, depending on their growing conditions and variety—wherein lies the fun of tasting a petal or two, provided you know where and how they’ve been grown.

This chocolate cake is based on a hastily scrawled recipe I was given many years ago. My daughter Annabelle; the master cake baker in our family, has altered it, adding warm freshly brewed coffee to enrich the chocolate flavour.

Perhaps I’m stating the obvious, but this is a rich, moist, buttercream frosted chocolate cake. Unlike the dahlias that adorn it, it’s probably not particularly good for you but I offer no apologies. It’s for celebrations and birthdays, not every day. Amidst an influx of pins and posts on clean eating, green smoothies and detox diets I maintain my mantra. If you want to eat cake, buy the best ingredients you can afford and cook it yourself. Eat a small piece sitting at a table and savour it with good company and conversation. Most importantly, enjoy it. There’s too much guilt and anxiety associated with what should simply just be an occasional indulgent pleasure.

Fear not. This recipe doesn’t involve digging up your flower garden. The dahlias are merely a garnish; something to induce conversation and coax cautious eaters out of their comfort zone.  It does, however, require home grown, pesticide free dahlias.

If you don’t have any dahlias, embellish as you will. Roses would work equally as well.

• Disclaimer. Never eat commercially grown flowers that might have been sprayed.

Chocolate Cake Garnished with Fresh Dahlias

Decorating a chocolate cake with fresh dahlias adds a touch of natural elegance and colour. ​

Ingredients:

For the Chocolate Cake:

• 1 and 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour​

• 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar​

• 3/4 cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder​

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder​

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda​

• 1 teaspoon salt​

• 2 large eggs​

• 1 cup (240ml) whole milk​

• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil​

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract​

• 1 cup (240ml) boiling water​

For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened​

• 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar​

• 3/4 cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder​

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract​

• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream​

• Pinch of salt​

For Garnish:

• Fresh, untreated dahlias (ensure they are pesticide-free and safe for consumption)​

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Chocolate Cake:

   • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.​

   • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.​

   • Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until the batter is smooth.​

   • Carefully add the boiling water to the batter, mixing on low speed until well combined. The batter will be thin.​

   • Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.​

   • Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.​

   • Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, remove from the pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.​

2. Prepare the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

   • In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy.​

   • Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Gradually add this mixture to the butter, beating on low speed until combined.​

   • Add the vanilla extract, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.​

3. Assemble the Cake:

   • Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate.​

   • Spread a generous layer of chocolate buttercream frosting over the top.​

   • Place the second cake layer on top and apply a crumb coat (a thin layer of frosting) over the entire cake to seal in crumbs.​

   • Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set the crumb coat.​

   • After chilling, apply a final, thicker layer of frosting over the cake, smoothing the sides and top.​

4. Garnish with Fresh Dahlias:

   • Before decorating, ensure the dahlias are thoroughly washed and free from pesticides.​

   • Trim the stems of the dahlias to about 2 inches in length.​

   • Create a small well in the center of the cake’s top layer.​

   • Place the dahlias in the well, arranging them artistically.​

   • Optionally, scatter some smaller edible flowers or chocolate shavings around the base of the dahlias for added elegance.​

Additional Tips:

• Edible Flowers: Ensure that the dahlias used are safe for consumption. Some varieties may not be edible, so it’s crucial to verify before decorating.​

• Storage: Keep the decorated cake refrigerated, especially if the frosting contains dairy. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to allow the cake to reach room temperature.​