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It's my conviction that the first month calls for a sweet treat. During a month often characterised by gloomy days, a spark of joy goes a long way. This isn't about decadent, heavy desserts, but a dessert such as this refreshing set custard hits the spot. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare extra crumble mixture for this dessert. Store the remainder in an sealed jar for a handy crunchy snack later on.

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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of chilled water. Leave them to soften for 5 minutes or so, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and remove the extra water. Set them aside.

In a small saucepan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through taking care not to boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is totally melted. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Divide the custard into serving pots and chill in the fridge for several hours, until firmly 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 parchment paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Add the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is well covered. Tip the blend onto the lined sheet and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Take it out, let it cool completely, then crumble it up into rough bits.

For the bananas: in a small pan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they begin to soften and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

For assembly, spoon the warm bananas on top of the custards. Finish with the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.