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My stance is that January isn't complete without a sweet treat. During a month typically filled with gloomy days, a little sweetness is essential. I'm not suggesting decadent, heavy desserts, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare more crumble than needed for the panna cotta. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container as a ready-made crunchy snack 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

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a little dish of cool water. Leave them to soften for 5 minutes or so, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and press 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 steaming but not boiling. Remove from the heat and add the softened gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Spoon the blend into four small glasses and chill in the fridge for several hours, until completely set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with baking paper. Combine in a 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 evenly coated. Tip the blend onto the prepared tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely, then break into pieces into irregular pieces.

To prepare the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and heat until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.

For assembly, spoon the warm bananas over the set panna cottas. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and dig in.