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My stance is that January still deserves a delightful dessert. At a time that can be dreary weather, a small indulgence is essential. Granted, I'm not after decadent, heavy desserts, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta is absolutely perfect. If you glance quickly, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields extra crumble mixture for the panna cotta. Save the excess in an airtight container for a handy textured garnish for future use.

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. Let them sit for roughly 5 mins, until pliable. Then, drain them and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot without letting it boil. Take the pan off the stove and add the squeezed gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with parchment paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is evenly coated. Pour it onto the prepared tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, cool entirely, then break it up into rustic chunks.

To prepare the bananas: place in a pot, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and heat until they soften slightly and the liquid reduces a bit sticky. Take off the stove and allow to cool slightly.

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