Triantafillo literally translates to “thirty petals.” The aromatic Damask Rose (Rosa Damascena) is cultivated in the village of Agros in Cyprus, nestled in a valley between Nicosia and Limassol, near the Troodos mountains.
These rose bushes are used to create a variety of fragrant and flavourful products, including rosewater, rose cordial, rose liqueur, rose jam, rose chocolates, and much more.
Triantafillo / rose sorbet is a traditional Cypriot ice cream flavour that’s especially popular during the summer months – and what better time of year to give it a try?
Ingredients:
225g caster sugar
16g dried rose petals
6 tbsp rosewater
1 tbsp glycerine
Juice of 1 lemon
Method:
The day before, put the sugar and 225ml cold water in a pan and heat gently for around 4 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Add the rose petals to the syrup just to wilt, then remove the pan from the heat and add 200ml more cold water with the rosewater and glycerine and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and leave the petals to macerate for a few hours (until the colour looks nice and pink), giving the petals a squeeze from time to time. Strain the mixture through a sieve set over a bowl and discard the petals.
Churn the mixture in an ice cream machine following the manufacturer’s instructions until frozen. Transfer to a freezer-proof container, cover and freeze for around 12 hours, or longer if necessary, until nicely scoop-able.
If you don’t have a machine, use the still-freeze method: pour the mixture into a freezer-proof container, and put, uncovered, in the freezer.
After 1½ hours, use a fork to break up the ice crystals around the edges. Bring those into the middle and whisk until broken up and slushy. Re-freeze, repeat the freezing and whisking process again, then re-freeze until evenly firm but not solid. Transfer to a processor and blitz to a smooth, lighter mixture. Transfer to the container, cover, and freeze until needed.
Recipe from Food and Travel