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It's my conviction that the new year calls for a delightful dessert. In a period that can be dreary weather, a spark of joy goes a long way. This isn't about dense confections, but the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. If you glance quickly, it might be mistaken for a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

Prepare a generous amount of topping for this dessert. Store the remainder in an sealed jar as a ready-made textured garnish 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 ramekin of chilled water. Allow them to soak for about five minutes, until softened. Then, drain them and remove remaining moisture. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through taking care not to boil. Take the pan off the stove and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Divide the custard into serving pots and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your 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. Mix well to combine. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is nicely mixed. Tip the blend onto the lined sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Take it out, allow to cool fully, then crumble it up into rustic chunks.

To prepare the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and simmer until they are tender and the mixture becomes a bit sticky. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Finally, spoon the warm bananas on top of the custards. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and dig in.