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My stance is that the new year calls for a sweet treat. During a month often characterised by gloomy days, a spark of joy goes a long way. I'm not suggesting anything overly rich, but a dessert such as this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it could easily pass for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

You'll have more crumble than needed for this dessert. Save the excess in an airtight container as a ready-made crunchy snack 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 small bowl of chilled water. Leave them to soften for about five minutes, until they are soft. Next, pour off the water and press out any excess liquid. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat and add the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into serving pots and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, until solid.

Now for the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with parchment paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is nicely mixed. Spread the mixture onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Take it out, cool entirely, then break into pieces 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 begin to soften and the syrup thickens slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and let it cool a bit.

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