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My stance is that January still deserves a delightful dessert. In a period often characterised by dreary weather, a little sweetness goes a long way. I'm not suggesting decadent, heavy desserts, but the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. With a casual look, it could easily pass for a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare extra crumble mixture for this dessert. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub as a ready-made textured garnish 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 little dish of chilled water. Leave them to soften for about five minutes, until pliable. Next, pour off the water and press out remaining moisture. Put them to one side.

Using a small pot, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot without letting it boil. Take the pan off the stove and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Divide the custard into serving pots and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with baking paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Take it out, let it cool completely, then crumble it up into rough bits.

To prepare the bananas: in a small pan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and simmer until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Take off the stove and allow to cool slightly.

For assembly, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.