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My stance is that January still deserves a delightful dessert. At a time typically filled with gloomy days, a spark of joy goes a long way. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

You'll have more crumble than needed for this dessert. Save the excess 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of cool water. Let them sit for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and press out any excess liquid. Put them to one side.

In a small saucepan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through taking care not to boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into serving pots and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until solid.

While that chills, make the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto the prepared tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Once baked, allow to cool fully, then break into pieces into rough bits.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and simmer until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Take off the stove and allow to cool slightly.

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