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I firmly believe that January calls for a tasty finale. In a period that can be grey skies, a spark of joy can lift spirits. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it could easily pass for a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

You'll have more crumble than needed for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an airtight container to enjoy as a crispy treat 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

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of cold water. Leave them to soften for 5 minutes or so, until softened. Afterwards, discard the water and remove the extra water. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until warmed through but not boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the softened gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Spoon the blend into serving pots and refrigerate for several hours, until solid.

While that chills, make the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with baking paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is evenly coated. Pour it onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then break into pieces into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and simmer until they soften slightly and the liquid reduces slightly syrupy. Take off the stove and let it cool a bit.

Finally, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and dig in.