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I firmly believe that the new year still deserves a delightful dessert. In a period often characterised by dreary weather, a spark of joy goes a long way. Granted, I'm not after decadent, heavy desserts, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. If you glance quickly, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have extra crumble mixture for this dessert. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub for a handy crunchy snack for future use.

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 cold water. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes or so, until they are soft. Next, pour off the water and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Put them to one side.

Using a small pot, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until steaming but not boiling. Take the pan off the stove and stir in the softened gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Spoon the blend into individual ramekins and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, until solid.

While that chills, make the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with greaseproof paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is nicely mixed. Spread the mixture onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely, then break it up into rough bits.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they begin to soften and the liquid reduces a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Finally, top each panna cotta over the set panna cottas. Finish with the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.