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I firmly believe that the first month calls for a tasty finale. At a time often characterised by grey skies, a spark of joy is essential. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta is absolutely perfect. If you glance quickly, it resembles a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare more crumble than needed for the panna cotta. Store the remainder 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

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of chilled water. Allow them to soak for about five minutes, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out remaining moisture. Set them aside.

Using a small pot, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until warmed through taking care not to boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the prepared gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until completely set.

While that chills, make the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with baking paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Add the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is nicely mixed. Tip the blend onto the baking tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Once baked, cool entirely, then break it up into irregular pieces.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and simmer until they are tender and the mixture becomes a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.

For assembly, divide the banana mixture onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.