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My stance is that January still deserves a sweet treat. In a period often characterised by gloomy days, a little sweetness goes a long way. This isn't about anything overly rich, but a dessert such as this light yoghurt panna cotta is absolutely perfect. With a casual look, it could easily pass for a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container as a ready-made textured garnish 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

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a little dish of cool water. Leave them to soften for about five minutes, until softened. Next, pour off the water and press out any excess liquid. Put them to one side.

In a small saucepan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until warmed through but not boiling. Turn off the heat and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Spoon the blend into four small glasses and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, until completely set.

Now for the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is nicely mixed. Pour it onto the baking tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, cool entirely, then break it up into rough bits.

For the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and heat until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Finally, spoon the warm bananas onto the chilled desserts. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.