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It's my conviction that January calls for a sweet treat. At a time often characterised by grey skies, a little sweetness goes a long way. This isn't about decadent, heavy desserts, but the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. With a casual look, it resembles a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have extra crumble mixture for the panna cotta. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container to enjoy as a 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

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a little dish of cool water. Let them sit for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Then, drain them and press out any excess liquid. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until warmed through taking care not to boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the softened gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Divide the custard into four small glasses and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until solid.

Now for the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a 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. Tip the blend onto the baking tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then break into pieces into rustic chunks.

Next, cook the bananas: in a small pan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and cook until they are tender and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Take off the stove and set aside to cool.

For assembly, spoon the warm bananas on top of the custards. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and dig in.