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I firmly believe that January calls for a tasty finale. During a month that can be grey skies, a spark of joy goes a long way. I'm not suggesting anything overly rich, but a dessert such as this refreshing set custard hits the spot. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare a generous amount of topping 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 ramekin of cool water. Leave them to soften for 5 minutes or so, until they are soft. Next, pour off the water and press out remaining moisture. Reserve for later.

Using a small pot, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until hot taking care not to boil. Take the pan off the stove and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Spoon the blend into four small glasses and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until firmly set.

Now for the crumble. Preheat 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. Toss to blend. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is nicely mixed. Spread the mixture onto the prepared tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then crumble it up into irregular pieces.

For the bananas: in a small pan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and heat until they soften slightly and the liquid reduces a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

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