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It's my conviction that the new year calls for a delightful dessert. In a period typically filled with gloomy days, a small indulgence goes a long way. This isn't about dense confections, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert hits the spot. If you glance quickly, it could easily pass for a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

Prepare a generous amount of topping for this dessert. Save the excess in an airtight container 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a little dish of chilled water. Leave them to soften for about five minutes, until pliable. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until warmed through but not boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the softened gelatine until it is totally melted. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Pour the mixture into four small glasses and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until completely set.

Now for the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with baking paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is well covered. Spread the mixture onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then crumble it up into irregular pieces.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and simmer until they begin to soften and the liquid reduces slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.

For assembly, top each panna cotta on top of the custards. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and serve immediately.