Lemon Myrtle Cheesecake.
I was recently whisked away on a foodie weekend filled with fresh produce from local farmers and providores from across Brisbane and the Lockyer Valley (about an hour west of Brisbane).
We ate and drank. And ate. And ate. And ate. (Unit I resembled Augustus Gloop from Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.)
I can’t wait to share photos and stories from the weekend, although I suspect Katy may ban me from sharing our carpool karaoke videos.
Until then, here’s a quick and easy recipe for No Bake Lemon Myrtle Cheesecake, from Anne at Holmwood Produce, a local lavender farm at Thornton.
Like many Australian farmers, Holmwood’s owners Gary and Anne are incredibly resilient; floods swept through their 45 acre property at the head of the Laidley Creek twice in three years, washing away most of their crop.
As is often the way in Queensland’s regional communities, the couple’s friends and neighbours rallied together to help them replant more than 700 plants.
These days, Holmwood also has 75 Lemon Myrtle trees and both the lemon myrtle and lavender are used to make natural soaps and lotions.
Their boutique farm shop, located amongst the lavender, sells a range of lavender-based products including bags, teddy bears and pillows, lavender lollies and dried lemon myrtle (which goes into the cheesecake).
Animal lovers will be also in their element with the farm being home to Basil and Polly, the donkeys; Dexter, Lucy and Floyd, the cats; and Hyacinth and Rose, the chooks.
NO BAKE LEMON MYRTLE CHEESECAKE
INGREDIENTS:
Base:
12 biscuits, ideally Arnott’s Nice or Milk Coffee
1 cup crushed macadamia nuts
125g butter, melted
Filling:
125g margarine or butter
2 tsp ground lemon myrtle
3 tsp gelatine
250g cream cheese
2 tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup castor sugar
METHOD:
Base:
Crush biscuits into small crumbs. Add crushed macadamia nuts.
Mix in butter. Press into pie plate or a flan tray.
Refrigerate until required.
Filling:
Cream butter and sugar. Add cream cheese and vanilla and beat until creamy. Mix in the ground lemon myrtle.
Dissolve gelatine in 70mls of hot water, cool and gradually add to mixture. Beat until fluffy.
Pour mixture on top of the biscuit base and spread evenly. Refrigerate.
Note: You can make this cheesecake a day or two in advance to allow the lemon myrtle flavor to really infuse throughout the cake.
While Anne and Gary won’t be at this year’s Regional Flavours, you will be able to buy ground Lemon Myrtle from other local Lockyer Valley producers.
Keep an eye out for a number of producers from Lockyer Valley at this year’s Regional Flavours, South Bank’s signature food and lifestyle event, from 16-17 July. Entry is free. Click here for the program of events.
Disclaimer: I visited Lockyer Valley as a guest of Brisbane Marketing to meet some of the local producers who will be at Regional Flavours.