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I firmly believe that the new year calls for a tasty finale. In a period often characterised by dreary weather, a little sweetness goes a long way. Granted, I'm not after dense confections, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it could easily pass for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for this dessert. Store the remainder in an airtight container for a handy textured garnish 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of chilled water. Allow them to soak for about five minutes, until softened. Next, pour off the water and gently squeeze out remaining moisture. Set them aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through but not boiling. Turn off the heat and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and refrigerate for several hours, until completely set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Heat the 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. Mix well to combine. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is well covered. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Take it out, cool entirely, then break it up into rough bits.

To prepare the bananas: using a saucepan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they are tender and the syrup thickens a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

For assembly, divide the banana mixture over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and dig in.