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I firmly believe that January calls for a tasty finale. At a time typically filled with gloomy days, a little sweetness is essential. Granted, I'm not after anything overly rich, but a dessert such as this light yoghurt panna cotta hits the spot. With a casual look, it resembles a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare extra crumble mixture for this dessert. Keep the leftovers in an tightly-closed tub as a ready-made textured garnish later on.

Prep: 5 minutes
Chill: 2 hours minimum
Cook: 50 minutes
Serves: 4

For the Panna Cotta

• 2 sheets of gelatine
• 300g of whipping cream
• 60g of honey
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
• A pinch of salt
• 300g of Greek yoghurt

For the Tahini Crumble

• 80g of jumbo oats
• 50g of plain flour
• 40g of light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
• A pinch of flaky sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 50g of melted unsalted butter
• 30g of tahini
• 2½ tablespoons of honey
• 2 small bananas, sliced

Method

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of cold water. Let them sit for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out remaining moisture. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot taking care not to boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Pour the mixture into serving pots and place in the refrigerator for several hours, until completely set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with greaseproof paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is evenly coated. Pour it onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Take it out, allow to cool fully, then break into pieces into rustic chunks.

For the bananas: in a small pan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and simmer until they are tender and the liquid reduces slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

For assembly, divide the banana mixture on top of the custards. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.