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It's my conviction that the first month calls for a sweet treat. In a period often characterised by grey skies, a spark of joy is essential. Granted, I'm not after dense confections, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert hits the spot. If you glance quickly, it might be mistaken for a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields a generous amount of topping for four servings. Store the remainder in an airtight container as a ready-made crunchy snack 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 small bowl of chilled water. Allow them to soak for about five minutes, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and remove any excess liquid. Set them aside.

In a small saucepan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until steaming but not boiling. Turn off the heat and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with greaseproof paper. In a mixing 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 nicely mixed. Pour it onto the baking tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely, then break into pieces into rustic chunks.

For the bananas: place in a pot, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and simmer until they are tender and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

Finally, divide the banana mixture onto the chilled desserts. Finish with the tahini crumble and serve immediately.