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I firmly believe that the new year calls for a sweet treat. During a month often characterised by grey skies, a small indulgence goes a long way. I'm not suggesting anything overly rich, but a dessert such as this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for four servings. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub as a ready-made crispy treat 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 cold water. Allow them to soak for roughly 5 mins, until softened. Then, drain them and gently squeeze out the extra water. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot taking care not to boil. Turn off the heat and add the softened gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Pour the mixture into four small glasses and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, until firmly set.

While that chills, make the crumble. Heat the 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. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Once baked, let it cool completely, then break it up into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and simmer until they begin to soften and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, spoon the warm bananas onto the chilled desserts. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.