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My stance is that January calls for a sweet treat. During a month often characterised by grey skies, a spark of joy goes a long way. Granted, I'm not after anything overly rich, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it resembles a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

You'll have extra crumble mixture for four servings. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub 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 small bowl of cool water. Allow them to soak for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Then, drain them and gently squeeze out remaining moisture. Put them to one side.

Using a small pot, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until hot without letting it boil. Take the pan off the stove and whisk in the softened gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is well covered. Spread the mixture onto the prepared tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Once baked, let it cool completely, then break it up into rustic chunks.

To prepare the bananas: in a small pan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they are tender and the mixture becomes a bit sticky. Take off the stove and let it cool a bit.

For assembly, top each panna cotta on top of the custards. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.