Fall In Love With ... Cardamom and Apricots

I don't often use cardamom.  Well, honestly, I don't even think about it very often.  Except maybe when I get a pod of it in my takeout saag paneer.  But today I decided to play with it.  I put it in my chocolate cupcake.  I added 2 tsp to my 8 inch chocolate cake recipe.    

 

I cored a cone out of the cupcake to get ti ready to fill.  Hmmm?  What should go inside?  Chocolate?  Cardamom?  Hmmm?  Apricots!  Perfect!  (I have to admit I didn't come up with that one on my own, I checked out my Flavor Bible.)

I added in a teaspoon of apricot filling.

Apricot Filling

1 1/2 lbs. dried apricots
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. hot tap water

Heat apricots and sugar over medium heat and cook apricots until mushy.   Mix cornstarch and not water together then add to the apricots and cook until thick.  Add lemon juice and butter and remove from heat.  Cool to room temperature.

Then put the top back on.

Ice the cupcake with some of your favorite butter cream hinted with cardamom then add a dot of your apricot filling.

Enjoy!