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My stance is that January still deserves a sweet treat. In a period that can be dreary weather, a spark of joy can lift spirits. I'm not suggesting anything overly rich, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it resembles a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have a generous amount of topping for four servings. Save the excess in an tightly-closed tub 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 cold water. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until softened. Next, pour off the water and press out the extra water. Set them aside.

Using a small pot, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until warmed through but not boiling. Turn off the heat and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Pour the mixture into serving pots and refrigerate for several hours, until solid.

While that chills, make 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. Stir together thoroughly. Add the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is well covered. Tip the blend onto the prepared tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then break into pieces into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: in a small pan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and simmer until they are tender and the syrup thickens like a glaze. Take off the stove and let it cool a bit.

To serve, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.