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It's my conviction that the first month calls for a sweet treat. At a time typically filled with dreary weather, a little sweetness is essential. Granted, I'm not after dense confections, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Keep the leftovers in an tightly-closed tub for a handy crispy treat 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 ramekin of chilled water. Leave them to soften for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Afterwards, discard the water and remove any excess liquid. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until warmed through taking care not to boil. Take the pan off the stove and stir in the softened gelatine until it is totally melted. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Spoon the blend into four small glasses and place in the refrigerator for several hours, until completely set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is nicely mixed. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Take it out, allow to cool fully, then break it up into irregular pieces.

Next, cook the bananas: using a saucepan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes a bit sticky. Turn off the heat and let it cool a bit.

Finally, top each panna cotta on top of the custards. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.