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I firmly believe that January calls for a tasty finale. In a period often characterised by dreary weather, a spark of joy goes a long way. Granted, I'm not after dense confections, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. With a casual look, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

You'll have more crumble than needed for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an sealed jar as a ready-made 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a little dish of cool water. Allow them to soak for about five minutes, until softened. Afterwards, discard the water and press out remaining moisture. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through without letting it boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the softened gelatine until it is totally melted. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Divide the custard into four small glasses and chill in the fridge for several hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Pour in 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 crisp and coloured. Once baked, cool entirely, then break it up into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: in a small pan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and heat until they begin to soften and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

For assembly, divide the banana mixture on top of the custards. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and dig in.