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I firmly believe that the new year calls for 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 the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it could easily pass for a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have more crumble than needed for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an sealed jar to enjoy as a 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a little dish of chilled water. Leave them to soften for 5 minutes or so, until softened. Then, drain them and gently squeeze out the extra water. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until steaming taking care not to boil. Remove from the heat and add the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until solid.

While that chills, make the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Add the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is well covered. Pour it onto the baking tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, allow to cool fully, then break it up into irregular pieces.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they begin to soften and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

To serve, top each panna cotta on top of the custards. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.