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My stance is that January calls for a delightful dessert. In a period typically filled with dreary weather, a little sweetness is essential. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but something like this refreshing set custard is absolutely perfect. With a casual look, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare extra crumble mixture for the panna cotta. Save the excess in an sealed jar as a ready-made 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of chilled water. Leave them to soften for about five minutes, until they are soft. Next, pour off the water and press out the extra water. Put them to one side.

Using a small pot, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until warmed through but not boiling. Turn off the heat and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Spoon the blend into individual ramekins and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, until completely set.

While that chills, make the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Add the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is nicely mixed. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. 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. Add the sliced bananas and simmer until they are tender and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.

To serve, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and serve immediately.