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It's my conviction that the new year calls for a sweet treat. During a month that can be gloomy days, a spark of joy can lift spirits. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. With a casual look, it resembles a fancy breakfast pot.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

You'll have a generous amount of topping for this dessert. Store the remainder in an airtight container for a handy crispy treat 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

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of chilled water. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Then, drain them and press out remaining moisture. Reserve for later.

In a small saucepan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until hot without letting it boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the softened gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Pour the mixture into four small glasses and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, until completely set.

While that chills, make 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. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is evenly coated. Pour it onto the prepared tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Take it out, allow to cool fully, then break into pieces into rustic chunks.

For the bananas: in a small pan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they are tender and the syrup thickens like a glaze. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.

For assembly, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.