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My stance is that the new year isn't complete without a delightful dessert. At a time often characterised by gloomy days, a little sweetness can lift spirits. Granted, I'm not after decadent, heavy desserts, but a dessert such as this light yoghurt panna cotta hits the spot. At first sight, it could easily pass for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare extra crumble mixture for this dessert. Save the excess in an airtight container as a ready-made 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of chilled water. Let them sit for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out the extra water. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through without letting it boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the prepared gelatine until it is totally melted. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Spoon the blend into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until solid.

Now for the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with greaseproof paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is evenly coated. Tip the blend onto the prepared tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Once baked, allow to cool fully, then break it up into irregular pieces.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and heat until they are tender and the syrup thickens like a glaze. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.

For assembly, divide the banana mixture over the set panna cottas. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and dig in.