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My stance is that January isn't complete without a sweet treat. At a time that can be gloomy days, a spark of joy can lift spirits. Granted, I'm not after dense confections, but the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. With a casual look, it could easily pass for a fancy breakfast pot.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare a generous amount of topping for four servings. Save the excess in an tightly-closed tub for a handy crunchy snack 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. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and remove the extra water. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot taking care not to boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the softened gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, until solid.

Now for 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. Stir together thoroughly. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is evenly coated. Pour it onto the prepared tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Once baked, cool entirely, then break into pieces into rustic chunks.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and cook until they are tender and the syrup thickens like a glaze. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

For assembly, spoon the warm bananas over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and serve immediately.