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I firmly believe that January still deserves a sweet treat. During a month often characterised by grey skies, a spark of joy is essential. Granted, I'm not after decadent, heavy desserts, but a dessert such as this creamy yoghurt-based dessert hits the spot. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an sealed jar as a ready-made textured garnish for future use.

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 ramekin of chilled water. Allow them to soak for roughly 5 mins, until softened. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Put them to one side.

In a small saucepan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until warmed through without letting it boil. Turn off the heat and add the squeezed gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Spoon the blend into serving pots and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is well covered. Tip the blend onto the lined sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then break into pieces into rustic chunks.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they soften slightly and the liquid reduces a bit sticky. Take off the stove and let it cool a bit.

To serve, divide the banana mixture onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.