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My stance is that January still deserves a delightful dessert. During a month that can be grey skies, a spark of joy can lift spirits. I'm not suggesting anything overly rich, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. With a casual look, it resembles a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for the panna cotta. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container as a ready-made 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of cool water. Let them sit for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out remaining moisture. Set them aside.

In a small saucepan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until warmed through taking care not to boil. Take the pan off the stove and whisk in the softened gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Divide the custard into four small glasses and refrigerate for a couple of 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. Toss to blend. Add the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is nicely mixed. Pour it onto the prepared tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, cool entirely, then break into pieces into rustic chunks.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and simmer until they are tender and the syrup thickens slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

To serve, divide the banana mixture onto the chilled desserts. Finish with the tahini crumble and dig in.