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I firmly believe that January calls for a tasty finale. During a month that can be grey skies, a small indulgence can lift spirits. I'm not suggesting anything overly rich, but a dessert such as this light yoghurt panna cotta hits the spot. At first sight, it could easily pass for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields a generous amount of topping for this dessert. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of cold water. Allow them to soak for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and press out any excess liquid. Reserve for later.

In a small saucepan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until steaming but not boiling. Take the pan off the stove and add the softened gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and place in the refrigerator for several hours, until firmly set.

Now for the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with greaseproof paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto the lined sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Once baked, let it cool completely, then break it up into irregular pieces.

To prepare the bananas: using a saucepan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and cook until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

To serve, divide the banana mixture onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and serve immediately.