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My stance is that January calls for a tasty finale. During a month typically filled with gloomy days, a little sweetness goes a long way. 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 decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an sealed jar for a handy crunchy snack for future use.

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 small bowl of cold water. Allow them to soak for roughly 5 mins, until softened. Next, pour off the water and gently squeeze out the extra water. Set them aside.

In a small saucepan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through taking care not to boil. Take the pan off the stove and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Spoon the blend into four small glasses and refrigerate for several hours, until firmly set.

While that chills, make the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is nicely mixed. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Once baked, let it cool completely, then break into pieces into irregular pieces.

For the bananas: in a small pan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and cook until they are tender and the liquid reduces like a glaze. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Finally, divide the banana mixture onto the chilled desserts. Finish with the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.