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My stance is that the new year still deserves a delightful dessert. During a month that can be dreary weather, a spark of joy can lift spirits. Granted, I'm not after decadent, heavy desserts, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta hits the spot. At first sight, it resembles a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare extra crumble mixture for this dessert. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub to enjoy as a crunchy snack 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 ramekin of cold water. Allow them to soak for about five minutes, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and remove the extra water. Set them aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until warmed through but not boiling. Take the pan off the stove and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Spoon the blend into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Heat the 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. Stir together thoroughly. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is well covered. Pour it onto the prepared tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then crumble it up into rough bits.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and cook until they soften slightly and the syrup thickens a bit sticky. Take off the stove and set aside to cool.

Finally, top each panna cotta on top of the custards. Finish with the tahini crumble and dig in.