Haloumi
Haloumi is the cheese that grills without melting and squeaks when you bite it, and yes, you can make it at home. Learn to set and press the curd, then the hot-whey poach that gives it the magic.
In this class
What you will learn
Set the curd
Warm the milk, add rennet and let it set into a firm, clean curd.
Cook and press
Cut, cook and press the curd into a sturdy slab, saving the whey.
The hot-whey poach
Poach the slab in hot whey until it floats, the step that makes it squeak.
Salt, mint and grill
Season with salt and mint, then grill golden without it melting.
Choose your format
Three ways to take this class
A live session with the chef and a small group. Cook along in real time and ask anything. Recording added to your library afterwards. New live dates announced soon. You will need cheese-making basics like rennet, and for haloumi a mould for pressing, our Cheese Making Kit is coming to the shop soon, plus your own milk, ideally a high-quality un-homogenised Jersey milk.
- Ingredient and prep guide sent ahead
- Real-time feedback as you cook
- Friendly time-zone scheduling
- Keep the recording
Short step-by-step videos you can start tonight and re-watch forever. Learn at your own speed, pause and rewind any time.
- Watch on any device, any time
- Printable recipe and shopping list
- Lifetime access
- Upgrade to a live class any time
The full hands-on experience in a real Fleurieu kitchen, with a shared meal at the end. Dates, venues and prices are on our main site.
- Small group in a real kitchen
- A sit-down meal included
- Choose your venue and date
The lessons
Inside the self-paced course
- 1
Welcome and the milk
- 2
Setting the curd with rennet
- 3
Cutting and cooking the curd
- 4
Moulding and pressing
- 5
The hot-whey poach (the squeak)
- 6
Salting, mint and storing
- 7
Grilling your haloumi
Good to know
Haloumi questions
Why poach it in whey?
That hot-whey step firms the protein so the cheese squeaks and holds its shape on the grill instead of melting.
What milk should I use?
A high-quality unhomogenised Jersey milk gives the best set and yield, because it is richer in fat and protein. Full-cream, un-homogenised, pasteurised milk is what you want: homogenising breaks the fat into pieces too small for the curd to knit together, so homogenised milk will never set properly. Oomi lists tested milks across Australia and is a good place to start.
How long does it keep?
About a week kept cold in light brine, and the flavour improves after a day or two.
Do I have to add mint?
No, but a little mint and some nigella seeds is the traditional, lovely finish.
Ready to make it squeak?
Pick your format and get cooking. You will keep the videos either way.