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I firmly believe that the first month calls for a tasty finale. At a time that can be dreary weather, a little sweetness goes a long way. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but a dessert such as this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. If you glance quickly, it resembles a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields extra crumble mixture for this dessert. Save the excess in an tightly-closed tub to enjoy as a 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 little dish of cool water. Leave them to soften for 5 minutes or so, until softened. Then, drain them and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until warmed through but not boiling. Take the pan off the stove and stir in the softened gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into four small glasses and refrigerate for at least two hours, until firmly set.

Now for the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is nicely mixed. Tip the blend onto the prepared tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, cool entirely, then crumble it up into rustic chunks.

For the bananas: in a small pan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and simmer until they begin to soften and the syrup thickens a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.

For assembly, divide the banana mixture over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and serve immediately.