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It's my conviction that the new year isn't complete without a delightful dessert. At a time often characterised by grey skies, a spark of joy goes a long way. Granted, I'm not after decadent, heavy desserts, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. If you glance quickly, it resembles a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for four servings. Save the excess in an tightly-closed tub to enjoy as a crispy treat 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a little dish of cold water. Let them sit for 5 minutes or so, until softened. Next, pour off the water and remove the extra water. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until steaming taking care not to boil. Take the pan off the stove and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Divide the custard into four small glasses and refrigerate for several hours, until firmly set.

Now for the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is well covered. Pour it onto the prepared tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Take it out, allow to cool fully, then break it up into irregular pieces.

To prepare the bananas: using a saucepan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and cook until they soften slightly and the liquid reduces slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and let it cool a bit.

For assembly, spoon the warm bananas over the set panna cottas. Finish with the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.