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My stance is that January calls for a tasty finale. During a month often characterised by dreary weather, a spark of joy is essential. This isn't about decadent, heavy desserts, but a dessert such as this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it resembles a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have more crumble than needed for this dessert. Store the remainder in an sealed jar 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a little dish of chilled water. Leave them to soften for about five minutes, until softened. Then, drain them and press out remaining moisture. Reserve for later.

In a small saucepan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until steaming without letting it boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Divide the custard into serving pots and place in the refrigerator for several hours, until completely set.

Now for the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is nicely mixed. Pour it onto the baking tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Take it out, let it cool completely, then break it up into rough bits.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and heat until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

To serve, top each panna cotta on top of the custards. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and serve immediately.