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My stance is that the first month isn't complete without a sweet treat. During a month often characterised by gloomy days, a little sweetness can lift spirits. This isn't about decadent, heavy desserts, but the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields extra crumble mixture for four servings. Keep the leftovers in an sealed jar for a handy crunchy snack 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a little dish of chilled water. Leave them to soften for 5 minutes or so, until softened. Next, pour off the water and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until warmed through without letting it boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Pour the mixture 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. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is well covered. Spread the mixture onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Once baked, let it cool completely, then crumble it up into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: in a small pan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and simmer until they soften slightly and the syrup thickens a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, divide the banana mixture over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.