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It's my conviction that January calls for a delightful dessert. In a period that can be gloomy days, a little sweetness goes a long way. This isn't about anything overly rich, but a dessert such as this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it resembles a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an sealed jar to enjoy as a textured garnish another time.

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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of chilled water. Allow them to soak for roughly 5 mins, until softened. Next, pour off the water and remove the extra water. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until warmed through without letting it boil. Turn off the heat and add the prepared gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Divide the custard into four small glasses and refrigerate for several hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is evenly coated. Tip the blend onto the baking tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Once baked, allow to cool fully, then crumble it up into irregular pieces.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and cook until they soften slightly and the liquid reduces slightly syrupy. Take off the stove and let it cool a bit.

For assembly, top each panna cotta over the set panna cottas. Finish with the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.