Cypriot Halloumi Cheese Recipe
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Loading... - Avril Moulin
- 14 Mar 2025
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Making traditional Cypriot Halloumi cheese at home can be a rewarding experience. Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese known for its unique texture and ability to be grilled or fried without melting. Here’s a simple recipe to make your own Halloumi cheese:
Ingredients
- 4 liters (1 gallon) of whole milk (preferably sheep's milk or a mix of sheep and goat milk)
- 1/4 teaspoon of rennet (liquid or tablet form)
- 1/4 cup of white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of salt (plus more for brining)
- Optional: Fresh mint leaves (for flavor)
Equipment
- Large pot
- Thermometer
- Slotted spoon
- Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer
- Cheese mold or a small container
- Heavy weight (for pressing)
- Large bowl (for brining)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the milk over medium heat until it reaches about 37-40°C (98-104°F). Stir gently to prevent scorching.
- Once the milk is heated, remove it from the heat. Dissolve the rennet in a small amount of cool, non-chlorinated water and add it to the milk. Stir gently for about 30 seconds. - Then, add the vinegar or lemon juice and stir again. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for about 30-60 minutes, or until it forms a gel-like curd.
- Once the curd has formed, use a knife to cut it into small cubes (about 1-2 cm). Let it rest for another 5-10 minutes to allow the curds to firm up.
- Gently heat the curds over low heat, stirring occasionally, until they reach about 40-42°C (104-108°F). This should take about 15-20 minutes. The curds will shrink and become firmer.
- Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour the curds into it to drain the whey. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and tie them together to form a pouch. Let it drain for about 30 minutes.
- Transfer the curds to a cheese mold or a small container. Press the curds down with a heavy weight to help them compact and release more whey. Let it sit for about 1-2 hours.
- After pressing, remove the cheese from the mold and cut it into slices or blocks. Prepare a brine solution by dissolving salt in water (about 1 cup of salt per liter of water). - Submerge the Halloumi in the brine and let it sit for at least 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- After brining, your Halloumi cheese is ready to use! You can store it in the brine in the refrigerator for up to a month. Halloumi can be grilled, fried, or enjoyed fresh in salads and other dishes.
Enjoy your homemade Cypriot Halloumi cheese.
