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I firmly believe that the new year isn't complete without a sweet treat. At a time that can be gloomy days, a spark of joy can lift spirits. This isn't about anything overly rich, but the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta hits the spot. With a casual look, it could easily pass for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for this dessert. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub 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 cool water. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Afterwards, discard the water and remove remaining moisture. Set them aside.

In a small saucepan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until warmed through without letting it boil. Turn off the heat and add the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Spoon the blend into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until completely set.

While that chills, make the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with baking paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is well covered. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then crumble it up into rustic chunks.

To prepare the bananas: using a saucepan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and simmer until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes a bit sticky. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, spoon the warm bananas on top of the custards. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and dig in.