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My stance is that the first month calls for a tasty finale. At a time typically filled with gloomy days, a little sweetness is essential. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but a dessert such as this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. With a casual look, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have a generous amount of topping for four servings. Save the excess in an airtight container for a handy crunchy snack for future use.

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 small bowl of cool water. Let them sit for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Then, drain them and remove the extra water. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Divide the custard into four small glasses and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until solid.

While that chills, make the crumble. Heat the 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. Toss to blend. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is nicely mixed. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, cool entirely, then break into pieces into irregular pieces.

Next, cook the bananas: in a small pan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and simmer until they soften slightly and the syrup thickens a bit sticky. Take off the stove and allow to cool slightly.

For assembly, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.