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It's my conviction that the first month isn't complete without a sweet treat. At a time often characterised by gloomy days, a spark of joy is essential. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta is absolutely perfect. If you glance quickly, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

Prepare a generous amount of topping for four servings. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container as a ready-made crispy treat later on.

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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of cool water. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Next, pour off the water and press out remaining moisture. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until hot taking care not to boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, until solid.

While that chills, make the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with greaseproof 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 nicely mixed. Tip the blend onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Once baked, allow to cool fully, then crumble it up into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes a bit sticky. Turn off the heat and let it cool a bit.

Finally, spoon the warm bananas over the set panna cottas. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.