Remove petals from roses, rinse well and place in a saucepan. Cover saucepan and leave to boil for 15 minutes with 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup water, stirring occasionally. Then, add the rest of the sugar and the rest of the water. Boil the spoon sweet over high heat, until syrup thickens (check by dropping a few drops of syrup in a glass of iced water; it should form drops before dissolving). Add the lemon juice and bring to the boil again.
Then remove from the heat, allow to cool, and pour into cool, sterilised jars.
Note: The damask rose flower (Rosa damascena) has the most suitable petals for spoon sweet. It can tolerate climate extremes, both high and low temperatures. In Cyprus it is cultivated in the mountains, specifically in Agros. The spoon sweet rose (used for marmalade) is an effective natural remedy for constipation.
Ingredients:
½kg roses (see note)
1kg sugar
1 1/3 cups water
1½ tbsps lemon juice
