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I firmly believe that the new year still deserves a sweet treat. In a period typically filled with grey skies, a small indulgence is essential. I'm not suggesting decadent, heavy desserts, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have extra crumble mixture for the panna cotta. Keep the leftovers in an sealed jar as a ready-made crunchy snack 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 little dish of chilled water. Let them sit for roughly 5 mins, until softened. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Reserve for later.

In a small saucepan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until steaming but not boiling. Take the pan off the stove and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into four small glasses and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, until firmly set.

Now for the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with parchment paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Add the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is evenly coated. Pour it onto the prepared tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Take it out, let it cool completely, then crumble it up into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: using a saucepan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

For assembly, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.