Finger Lime Cheesecake with Macadamia Flour & Lemon Myrtle
A creamy no-bake cheesecake with finger lime pearls, fragrant lemon myrtle and a buttery macadamia flour biscuit base. Bright, rich and just a little bit special.
This one started with a kind local gifting us fresh finger limes, knowing they would almost certainly end up in something delicious. Deb was right.
We had also been wanting to test our new Macadamia Flour in a cheesecake base. I replaced close to half the biscuit crumb with macadamia flour, mixed it with melted butter and lemon myrtle, then let it set in the fridge. It worked beautifully. The base held together well, but had a softer, richer texture and a lovely rounded macadamia flavour.
The filling brings together cream cheese, lemon myrtle and finger lime pearls for a citrusy, native-inspired cheesecake that feels familiar, but with a Pepo Farms twist.
A note on inspiration
This recipe was inspired by two beautiful native ingredient cheesecakes: the finger lime and lemon myrtle cheesecake from the book Warndu Mai, and RecipeTin Eats’ lemon myrtle cheesecake with finger lime.
We’ve made our own version using locally gifted finger limes, lemon myrtle and a macadamia flour biscuit base. The recipe was tested in our kitchen, with macadamia flour replacing close to half the biscuit crumb for a richer, softer base.
You can view the original inspiration recipes here:
Why this combination works
Finger lime gives little bursts of fresh citrus through the filling. Lemon myrtle adds warmth and fragrance without making the cheesecake overly sharp.
Macadamia flour brings richness to the biscuit base and pairs naturally with the creamy filling. It also gives the base a softer texture than biscuit crumbs alone.
It’s still cheesecake. Just a more interesting one.
How Pepo products elevate it
Macadamia Flour
Used in the base, macadamia flour adds a gentle buttery flavour and soft crumb. It works especially well with lemon myrtle and finger lime because it rounds out the citrus rather than competing with it.
Macadamia Oil, optional to serve
A very light drizzle of macadamia oil over the finished cheesecake adds a silky finish and reinforces the macadamia flavour in the base. Keep it subtle. A little goes a long way.
Ingredients
Base
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150g Butternut Snap biscuits, crushed
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100g Pepo Farms Macadamia Flour
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80g unsalted butter, melted
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1 tsp dried lemon myrtle
Filling
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¼ cup water
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3 tsp gelatine powder
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250ml thickened cream
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500g cream cheese
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125g caster sugar
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1 tsp lemon myrtle, ground to a fine powder
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Finger lime pearls from 3 finger limes
Garnish
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Dried finger lime slices
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Optional light drizzle of Pepo Farms Macadamia Oil
Method
1. Make the base
Combine the crushed biscuits, macadamia flour and dried lemon myrtle in a bowl.
Add the melted butter and mix until evenly combined.
Press firmly into the base of a lined springform tin. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
2. Prepare the gelatine
Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle over the gelatine powder.
Set aside to bloom, then gently warm until dissolved. Follow the packet instructions for best results.
3. Make the filling
Beat the cream cheese, caster sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Whip the cream separately until soft peaks form, then fold it through the cream cheese mixture.
Add the lemon myrtle and dissolved gelatine, mixing until combined.
Gently fold through the finger lime pearls so they stay mostly intact.
4. Set the cheesecake
Spoon the filling over the chilled base and smooth the top.
Refrigerate until fully set, ideally for several hours or overnight.
5. Finish and serve
Garnish with dried finger lime slices.
For a Pepo Farms finish, add the lightest drizzle of macadamia oil just before serving.
Optional variations
Use lemon or lime zest if finger limes are hard to find
It won’t give the same little citrus pearls, but it will still taste beautiful.
Make the base more macadamia-forward
Increase the macadamia flour slightly and reduce the biscuit crumb, but keep enough biscuit to help the base hold together.
Serve with fresh cream or yoghurt
Especially if you want to soften the citrus and make it feel more like a dessert platter.
When to make it
This is a lovely dessert for long lunches, winter entertaining or any time finger limes are in season.
It’s also a great way to show how macadamia flour can do more than sit in the baking cupboard. Here, it becomes part of the flavour, not just the structure.