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My stance is that January still deserves a sweet treat. In a period typically filled with grey skies, a spark of joy is essential. Granted, I'm not after anything overly rich, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. With a casual look, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for the panna cotta. Save the excess in an sealed jar to enjoy as a textured garnish 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. Let them sit for about five minutes, until pliable. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out the extra water. Put them to one side.

In a small saucepan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until hot taking care not to boil. Turn off the heat and add the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Pour the mixture into serving pots and chill in the fridge for at least two hours, until firmly set.

Now for the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is nicely mixed. Pour it onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then break it up into rough bits.

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 a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

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