Ingredients
Cheese
- 4 Lsheep’s milk, or 2 L sheep’s and 2 L goat’s milk, unhomogenised
- 1 tsp(5 ml) liquid rennet, microbial or vegetarian, diluted in 50 ml cool water
- 20 gdried mint leaves, whole
Brine
- 1 Lof the reserved whey, cooled
- 120 gcoarse sea salt (about 12%)
Directions
- Warm the milk slowly in a heavy pan to 32–34°C (90–95°F), stirring gently so it does not scorch on the base.
- Off the heat, stir in the diluted rennet with 20 up-and-down strokes, still the surface, cover, and leave undisturbed 45 minutes at room temperature until the curd gives a clean break against a knife.
- Cut the curd into 1.5 cm cubes and rest 10 minutes, then stir slowly for 15 minutes while warming to 38°C (100°F); the cubes will shrink and firm.
- Ladle the curd into square moulds or a cloth-lined colander, pressing lightly. Save every drop of whey. Press under a 2 kg weight for 1 hour, until the blocks hold their shape and stop dripping.
- Cut into blocks about 10 x 10 x 2.5 cm. Heat the whey in a wide pan to 90°C (195°F), just below a simmer, and lower the blocks in.
- Poach 40–60 minutes. They sink, then rise and float when they are ready. Floating is the signal, and this hot-whey cooking is what gives halloumi its squeak and its refusal to melt.
- Lift out, sprinkle each hot block generously with salt, fold it over on itself with whole dried mint leaves tucked inside, and press flat.
- Cool completely, then submerge in the 12% cooled whey brine. Keep refrigerated; eat after 3 days, or brine for weeks for a saltier, firmer cheese.
- To cook, dry-fry 1 cm slices in a hot pan or grill over charcoal 1–2 minutes a side, until dark bars form and the inside softens without running.
Technique
- Halloumi does not melt because the curd is cooked in hot whey at 90°C (195°F), which denatures the proteins and locks the structure. That heat step is non-negotiable.
- Traditional Cypriot halloumi is sheep and goat milk; the PDO granted in 2021 sets a minimum share of sheep or goat milk. All-cow halloumi is a modern industrial shortcut and tastes blander and rubberier.
- Brine in whey, not water. Salt water leaches calcium out and the cheese turns crumbly and chalky.
Substitutions
- No sheep’s or goat’s milk: full-fat cow’s milk works, but add 100 ml double cream per litre to make up the fat.
Variations
- Fresh halloumi eaten within a day, unbrined, with watermelon in summer.
- Aged halloumi, brined three or four months until hard and sharp, then grated over pasta.
History
Semi-hard sheep-and-goat cheese folded with mint that squeaks and grills without melting; it gained Cypriot PDO protection in 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is Halloumi?
Halloumi is a cheese & dairy from Cyprus: squeaky brined cheese, grilled or fried, often with watermelon. Semi-hard sheep-and-goat cheese folded with mint that squeaks and grills without melting; it gained Cypriot PDO protection in 2021.
How long does Halloumi take to make?
Halloumi takes 45 min of preparation and 3 hr, plus 3 days brining of cooking. The recipe makes about 700 g cheese (4 blocks). It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Halloumi?
Yes, within limits. No sheep’s or goat’s milk: full-fat cow’s milk works, but add 100 ml double cream per litre to make up the fat.
