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It's my conviction that the first month isn't complete without a delightful dessert. At a time often characterised by dreary weather, a little sweetness goes a long way. I'm not suggesting decadent, heavy desserts, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert hits the spot. At first sight, it could easily pass for a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for four servings. Save the excess in an sealed jar as a ready-made 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 ramekin of cold water. Leave them to soften for about five minutes, until pliable. Then, drain them and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until warmed through without letting it boil. Take the pan off the stove and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is totally melted. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, until completely set.

Now for the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with greaseproof paper. Combine in a 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. Tip the blend onto the baking tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely, then break it up into irregular pieces.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and cook until they soften slightly and the liquid reduces a bit sticky. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, spoon the warm bananas over the set panna cottas. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and dig in.