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I firmly believe that January still deserves a delightful dessert. At a time typically filled with gloomy days, a small indulgence goes a long way. This isn't about decadent, heavy desserts, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta hits the spot. If you glance quickly, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

Prepare a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an airtight container for a handy 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. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Then, drain them and press out remaining moisture. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through but not boiling. Turn off the heat and add the prepared gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into serving pots and place in the refrigerator for several hours, until completely set.

Now for the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with greaseproof paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is nicely mixed. Spread the mixture onto the lined sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Once baked, let it cool completely, then crumble it up into irregular pieces.

For the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and simmer until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

For assembly, spoon the warm bananas on top of the custards. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.