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I firmly believe that the new year calls for a delightful dessert. During a month that can be grey skies, a small indulgence goes a long way. Granted, I'm not after dense confections, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields extra crumble mixture for this dessert. Store the remainder in an sealed jar for a handy textured garnish another time.

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 little dish of cold water. Let them sit for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until steaming without letting it boil. Remove from the heat and add the softened gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into four small glasses and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, until completely set.

While that chills, make the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with parchment 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 well covered. Spread the mixture onto the prepared tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely, then crumble it up into rough bits.

For the bananas: in a small pan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and simmer until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Take off the stove and allow to cool slightly.

Finally, divide the banana mixture on top of the custards. Finish with the tahini crumble and dig in.