I'd like to make my first Haloumi today so I've researched and compared several recipes:
RECIPE LEGENDa) Member Tea, cow's milk.
b) Member Johanyrh, raw Jersey cow's milk.
c) Member Gurkan from (buildanark.com website), goat's milk.
d)
1993 eBook by Charles O'Conner (with pictures), cow's milk.
e) 2009 Book "Cheese Making" by Rita Ash, high fat cow's milk.
f)
2005 Book "Making Artisan Cheese" by Tim Smith, cow's milk.g)
2002 Book "Home Cheese Making" by Ricki Caroll, whole cow's milk.h)
2009 Book "200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes" by Debra Amrien-Boyes, whole cow's milk.Note: Did not summarize the video of Halloumi making as such a different method and product.
STEP #1 - PASTEURIZATION & MILK TEMPERATUREa) Heat milk to 32c.
b) Heat the milk to 35°C (Acid 0.15 tot 0.17% )
c) Warm milk to 86°F
d) If necessary pasteurise the milk by heating to 73°C and cooling immediately to 32°C.
e) Heat milk to 34c/93F.
f) Heat milk to 86F/31C.
g) Heat milk to 86F/31C.
h) Heat milk to 90F/32C.
STEP #2 - ADDING LIPASEa) No lipase used.
b) No lipase used.
c) No lipase used.
d) No lipase used.
e) No lipase used.
f) Optionally add lipase to give it tangy flavor associated with original sheep or goat's milk.
g) No lipase used.
h) No lipase used.
STEP #3 - ADDING STARTER CULTUREa) No starter culture used.
b) No starter culture used.
c) No starter culture used.
d) No starter culture used.
e) Add starter if using pasteurized milk (stir well).
f) Add mesophilic starter culture (stir for 2 minutes).
g) Add mesophilic starter culture (mix well).
h) No starter culture used.
STEP #4 - ADDING CACL2a) No CaCl2 used.
b) Add Calcium Chloride (CaCl) dissolved in water (10g/100 liter milk)
c) No CaCl2 used.
d) No CaCl2 used.
e) No CaCl2 used.
f) No CaCl2 used.
g) No CaCl2 used.
h) No CaCl2 used.
STEP #5 - ADDING RENNETa) Add rennet.
b) Add rennet (Do not stir for longer than 2 minutes!!!)
c) Add rennet and let it sit.
d) Add rennet extract (about 3 ml per 10 litres of milk).
e) Immediately after adding starter culture, add diluted rennet.
f) Add rennet and stir for 1 minute.
g) Add rennet and stir for 1 minute up down.
h) Add rennet and stir for 1 minute up down without breaking surface.
STEP #6 - COAGULATION TIMEa) Allow to set for around 40 min, should be a firm set.
b) About 40 minutes.
c) After 45 minutes, you should see a clean break.
d) This should give a firm curd in 40–45 minutes.
e) Allow to set for around 45 min, should be a firm set.
f) About 40 minutes or until clean break.
g) About 30-45 minutes or until clean break.
h) No time given, cut after clean break.
STEP #7 - CUTTING CURDa) Cut curd into 2-4cm cubes.
b) Cut the curd in cubes of about 0.5 to 1 cm.
c) Cut curds into ½” cubes.
d) Cut the curd into 3–4 cm cubes using horizontal and vertical curd cutting knives.
e) Cut curd into 3cm/1.25 in cubes.
f) Cut curds into ½” - 1 cm cubes.
g) Cut curds into ½” cubes.
h) Cut curds into 1” - 2.5 cm cubes.
STEP #8 - HEALING CUT CURDSa) Let rest for 5 minutes.
b) No mentioned.
c) Let rest for 10 minutes or so.
d) Not mentioned.
e) Not mentioned.
f) Not mentioned.
g) Not mentioned.
h) Let rest for 5 minutes.
STEP #9 - COOKING CURDSa) Slowly heat curd to 40c over next 20 mins stirring gently.
b) Increase the temperature to 45°C while stirring. The stirring process is carrying on until the curd is firm enough (Approx. 20 minutes). Drain the whey and keep it.
c) This step not used.
d) Stir the curds and whey mixture gently and heat to 38–42oC. Stir for 20 minutes after this temperature is reached.
e) Slowly heat curd to 42C / 108F while stirring gently, then stir gently for 20 min at 42C / 108F.
f) Slowly heat curd to 40C / 104F over 45 minutes while stirring gently to stop matting, then stir gently for 20 min at 40C / 104F.
g) Slowly heat curd to 40C / 104F over 45 minutes while stirring gently to stop matting, then stir gently every few minutes for 20 min at 40C / 104F.
h) Slowly heat curd to 40C / 104F over 40 minutes while stirring gently to stop matting, then stir gently every few minutes for 20 min at 40C / 104F.
STEP #10 - CURDS SETTLING TIMEa) Allow the curd to settle into a solid mass.
b) No information / this step not used.
c) No information / this step not used.
d) Allow the curd to settle.
e) Allow the curd to settle into a solid mass.
f) No information / this step not used.
g) No information / this step not used.
h) Let settle, no time given.
STEP #11 - PRESSING CURDSa) Remove the whey (retain this for later use) and using ladle gently press down cheese to expel whey. Place curd into cheese cloth and tighten around curd. Weights may be added until firm enough. (Tea used 3 small square baskets, filled evenly and stacked and use their weight as a press rotating every 1/2 hour, and turning cheese every hour).
b) Place the curd in cloth and light press for 45 minutes. (I usually use 20 liter milk and transfer the curd to a form of 500mm x 400mm. I then place a 10 kg container of a slightly smaller size onto the curd)
c) Ladle curd into a colander lined with cheesecloth to drain, reserve whey. When drained, gently place in a cheese cloth lined hoop and press at 30 pounds of pressure for 1 hour. Remove from the mold and gently peel off the cheesecloth, turn, re-wrap, and press at 50 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes.
d) Ladle the whey off the curd and scoop the curd into a flat mould lined with cheese cloth. Press for about four hours.
e) Press the curd into a firm mat under the whey with the flat of your hand. Drain or ladle whey out of vat and set aside. Cut curd into 4in blocks then pile up in vat and cover with cloth. Place board on top of pile, add weight and leave to drain for two hours.
f) Drain off and retain whey, (optionally blend 1/2 teaspoon per 1 us gallon milk of dried mint rehydrated in 1/4 cup boiling water into drained curds). Place curds in cheesecloth lined mold and press with 30 pounds for one hour, turn the cheese and press at 40 pounds for 1 hour, cheese shoudl have spongy consistency.
g) Drain off and retain whey, place curds in cheesecloth lined mold and press with 30 pounds for one hour, turn the cheese and press at 50 pounds for 1/2 hour.
h) Ladle curds into cheese cloth lined mold, reserve whey, and press with medium weight for 3-4 hours.
STEP #12 - CUTING CURD INTO SERVING BLOCKSa) Cut cheese into 5 cm x 10 cm x 15 cm pieces.
b) Cut the pressed curd into desirable sizes.
c) Remove the cheese from hoop and cut into ~ three inch blocks.
d) Remove the cheese from the press and cut it into 10 cm x 10 cm x 2 cm thick slices.
e) Cut curd into 10x15x5 cm (4x6x4 in).
f) Cut pressed curd into 2" - 5 c, thick strips.
g) Cut pressed curd into 3" square blocks.
h) Cut pressed curd into 4" x 4" x 1" blocks.
STEP #13 - BOILING SERVING BLOCKSa) Bring whey to boiling point scooping out any excess curd, then turn off heat and place cut formed curds into hot whey, the curd will sink to the bottom. After 45 to 90 minutes the curd will float. Wait another 15 mins before removing.
b) Heat the whey to close to boiling point (90°C) and place shaped cut curd into the boiling whey, wait for it to surface and take it out.
c) Heat the reserved whey to between 180° - 200°F, then add the cheese blocks. Allow them to simmer gently for a half hour or so. The blocks should look and feel like cooked chicken breasts.
d) Heat the collected whey to 80–90oC and place the curd pieces in the hot whey. At first the curd pieces sink but when properly textured they rise to the surface. Transfer the pieces to a draining table.
e) Bring retained whey to boiling point and drop serving blocks into the boiling whey and simmer for 45 minutes or until blocks float in whey.
f) Heat the whey to 190F/88C, add strips of curd and cook for 1 hour at 190F/88C after which the cheese should have a thick consistency.
g) Heat the whey to 176-194F, add blocks of curd and cook for 1 hour at 190F/88C after which the cheese should have consistency of cooked chicken breast and will rise to surface.
h) Heat the whey to 190F/88C, add strips of curd (they will initially sink) and cook until curds proper texture which will be when floating.
STEP #14 - COOLING CHEESESa) Place cheeses on a wooden rack and allow to cool for 20 mins.
b) This step not used.
c) Remove blocks from whey and cool on mat for about 20 minutes.
d) After about 20 minutes the curd pieces are cool.
e) Remove blocks and cool for ~ 20 minutes.
f) Drain into a cheesecloth lined colander and let rest-cool for 20 minutes at room temperature.
g) Drain into a cheesecloth lined colander and let rest-cool for 20 minutes at room temperature.
h) Drain on clean plate or cutting board for 15 min to cool.
STEP #15 - SALTING CHEESESa) Sprinkle with salt then leave until cool.
b) After removing from boiling whey, add herbs and salt and leave to cool.
c) Sprinkle with salt, continue to cool on a mat for another 2 - 4 hours.
d) Sprinkle-rub the curd with 3–5% salt and fold each piece over.
e) Sprinkle with salt and allow to cool to room temperature.
f) Coat cheese with 1/4 cup - 75 gram salt per 1 US gallon milk and let rest for 2 hours.
g) Sprinkle blocks with 1/8 cup salt per 1 US gallon milk and let rest 2-4 hours to cool to room temperature.
h) Sprinkle each block with 1/4 teaspoon salt, place few mint leaves along one edge and fold cheese over to create a mint sandwich. Turn cheeses over and let drain and dry until cool.
STEP #16 - STORING CHEESESa) Place the cheeses into a brine mix of 300gr salt to every liter water and store in fridge.
b) Store in brine or vacuum-pack. Shelf life is about 1 month.
c) Store in brine (2 pounds of coarse salt and 1 gallon of cold water) for up to sixty days.
d) Place the cold curd pieces into a containers and fill the container with 30% brine.
e) Optionally sprinkle herbs between the slabs and pack into container or plastic bags, eat fresh or refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
f) No information.
g) Place in saturated brine for up to 60 days, flavour increases with age.
h) Place in 2 cups water + 1/4 cup salt (0.5 l water & 50 ml salt) brine and store in fridge for up to 6 months.