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I firmly believe that the new year still deserves a tasty finale. During a month often characterised by dreary weather, a little sweetness is essential. This isn't about dense confections, but a dessert such as this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. 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. Store the remainder in an airtight container as a ready-made 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a little dish of cool water. Let them sit for roughly 5 mins, until pliable. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out remaining moisture. Put them to one side.

In a small saucepan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until warmed through taking care not to boil. Turn off the heat and add the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Spoon the blend into four small glasses and refrigerate for several hours, until completely set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with baking 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 mix thoroughly so everything is nicely mixed. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Once baked, let it cool completely, then break into pieces into irregular pieces.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they are tender and the syrup thickens slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, divide the banana mixture over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and dig in.