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It's my conviction that January still deserves a sweet treat. In a period that can be dreary weather, a little sweetness can lift spirits. I'm not suggesting decadent, heavy desserts, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert hits the spot. If you glance quickly, it resembles a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

You'll have extra crumble mixture for this dessert. Store the remainder in an airtight container for a handy 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 cool water. Allow them to soak for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Then, drain them and gently squeeze out the extra water. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until steaming taking care not to boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Spoon the blend into individual ramekins and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is nicely mixed. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, cool entirely, then break it up into rough bits.

For the bananas: place in a pot, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they begin to soften and the liquid reduces slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and let it cool a bit.

Finally, top each panna cotta over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and dig in.