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My stance is that January still deserves a sweet treat. During a month typically filled with gloomy days, a spark of joy is essential. Granted, I'm not after anything overly rich, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

Prepare extra crumble mixture for four servings. Store the remainder in an airtight container to enjoy as a 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of cold water. Let them sit for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Then, drain them and press out the extra water. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot without letting it boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the prepared gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Pour the mixture into serving pots and refrigerate for several hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Add the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is well covered. Pour it onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then break it up into irregular pieces.

Next, cook the bananas: using a saucepan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and heat until they begin to soften and the syrup thickens a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

For assembly, spoon the warm bananas over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.